Blood of the Snake
by retroelectric
Summary: Even vampires get lured in and fascinated by the strange powers of the retrieval duo Midou Ban and Amano Ginji. AU. Discontinued.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Blood of the Snake, a Get Backers fan fiction

**By:** retroelectric

**Warnings:** Mature themes, Vampirism, Horror/Supernatural

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the characters from Get Backers. This is a Get Backers fan fiction, ideas purely fan-made speculations based off the relationship between the Get Backers duo and infused with several elements inspired – and not stolen off the Vampire Chronicles Universe by Anne Rice. It is also important to note that this does not contain ANY of her characters, thus this is strictly NOT a Vampire Chronicles/Get Backers crossover. In this way I do not breach any of Anne Rice's policies regarding fan fiction on her work.

**Chapter 1**

* * *

It was a warm and sultry summer night in Shinjuku, and the oppressive heat and humidity seemed to seep through the cracks of the car and into Ban's skin, making him sweat. He couldn't fall asleep and he hated it. Ban grimaced to himself, knowing that if he didn't get a substantial rest that night, he would be involuntarily snappish to everyone the following morning. He would never say it out loud, but from the look on Ginji's face Ban knew that his blond partner disliked it when he was moody. He knew his best friend so well that they needed no words.

Those things bothered him, combined with an odd niggling feeling from the back of his mind.

Someone -- something; was watching him from outside.

It was not the first time he felt that particular prickling sensation of something boring a hole into the back of his head. The past few months fell to a pattern: complete a mission, celebrate with Ginji, falling asleep in their car and starting their day at the Honky Tonk.

Yet every single time as he was about to fall asleep, a low, musical and undeniably male voice would sound in his mind, murmur a few words varying from "Sleep well, Jagan Master," "Take good care," and "You will be mine." That voice wasn't Ginji's. It... this presence he felt wasn't that of a humans'. Normal human beings couldn't even get past through the invincible fortress that was his mind.

Every single night that obtrusive foreign voice would come. He decided not to alarm Ginji or any other person with this disturbing information, and Ban simply kept quiet. He was used to hiding things like this from even the ones closest to him, so why should this be any different? He acted as usual, but his mind was a wreck. It was taxing even on a person such as he to shield his mind every single minute from such foreign obtrusion.

Ban had been trained to defend himself from any mind reader ever since he was younger, and had developed an invincible system that no one could penetrate. Despite that, the presence he felt could manage to sneak in their thoughts into his mind. Who would dare murmur such sentiments - to him, of all people - in such an intimate tone? Spoke to him like a lover would? Who?

A quick scan to the outside proved his suspicions were baseless. There was no one in sight. Yet it felt like there was still someone, something - watching his every move. Sighing in frustration, he pulled the thin blanket up to his neck.

It seemed to himself that he was getting frustrated a lot lately. It was mostly because of Ginji. He doubted his blond partner even knew of what rambunctious and even sexual thoughts he had every single time he glanced at him. It was just their closeness, and the overwhelming aura of Ginji which comforted him like no other. He thought of pressing Ginji's pouty lips to his chapped ones, wondering how they would taste like; whether he would moan and sigh beneath his ministrations.

Ban felt like claiming Ginji to himself, show to the Monkey Tamer and Thread Spool and the rest of his ex-VOLTS friends how he owned all of Ginji every single time his bubbly blond partner bounded up to them and enveloped them in his friendly embraces. The jealousy maddened him and tested his self-control, but he knew better than to submit to fulfill his base cravings. All of that could wait.

Ginji was sleeping, a look of innocence on his soft features, oblivious to his partner's discomfort. Ban envied that he could sleep despite the heat. That damn ominous presence was still keeping vigil on him, its fiery stare boring into the back of his head. His defenses were up, and he knew that it was probably writhing in anger, being unable to penetrate even the slightest into the formidable fortress that was his mind. There was nothing out there, only the humidity and the blackness of the night.

He decided he needed a smoke, to get away from Ginji's overwhelming aura even though he was still asleep.

Stepping out of the car silently so as not to wake Ginji, he walked in long, confident strides, with his head held high so as to project an indifferent image to the presence. It was best to belie to whatever it was out there that he wasn't frustrated. He dug out his cigarettes and lighted up in a lazy manner.

Exhaling slowly, he glanced around warily whilst still keeping his fast, brisk pace. The unknown presence gradually disappeared. The thought comforted him a little as he reached a bench in the nearby park.

He finished the cigarette quickly enough. He was about to light up another one when the familiar yet foreign voice speaking in English whispered in his ear.

"You shouldn't be smoking that much, Ban."

Ban jumped up from the bench instantly to face his tormentor. His right hand thrummed with the power from Asclepius, just about ready to strike.

But he didn't. The darkness of the night just stretched on and on, and he was mystified and dumbfounded as to why there wasn't a soul in sight. He couldn't sense any human presence at all. Ban's body was tense, like a sly fox waiting to spring at his prey the right moment.

That voice chuckled right next to his ear and then there was a tapping on his shoulder. Whirling behind, he came face to face with a vision of an unfamiliar man grinning at him. Why hadn't he sensed anything...? Blond hair, even lighter than Ginji's, fell around an angular face in waves and curled at the nape of his neck. Violet eyes which gleamed unnaturally in the darkness, a fine and sharp nose and lush lips.

Ban could hardly believe his eyes as he noted the marble white pallor of the unknown man's flawless skin. He had never seen such whiteness in anyone's skin before. It was unnatural, and he wondered how that skin would feel underneath his fingers.

He refused to be taken in by the other man's unusual features. Shoving his hands deep into his pocket and frowning, he sought out a proper response in English.

"Who are you?" he ground out.

His response only served to elicit another chuckle from the man before him.

"I am your worst nightmare, Midou Ban."

Laughing humourlessly, Ban stepped away from the unknown man, fully intending to make an escape when a strong hand clasped onto his shoulder, preventing him from moving away.

_He wants to play, doesn't he, _Ban thought. He grasped the offending limb with his right hand and crushed it with his grip. The bones snapped audibly and it poked through the white skin of his hand, making the man gasp in surprise. Ban gripped tighter.

Satisfied at hearing the crunching of the bones, Ban released the mangled hand and tried to get away, only to be rooted to the spot. Ban struggled with his invisible bonds, trying not to panic at his inability to move. He couldn't believe that this man was controlling his own movements with but a thought. Concentrating hard, he stilled and willed his body to fight off the binds. He nearly succeeded with it and he was just about to remove the last bit of it, but the man growled low, and spoke.

"Oh, no you don't," the low accented voice laced in slight anger whispered. "Look."

Ban's eyes widened as the mangled hand repaired itself magically, the bones realigning themselves into place and the torn skin mended itself, making it as good as new.

_Oh shit,_ he realised, as the man closed in on him. He was still rooted to the spot, unable to move a single muscle as panic seized control of his mind. No, he mustn't, couldn't show any weakness; he must fight him off. _What was this creature?_

The unknown man slowly opened his mouth, eclipsing his unasked questions revealing white teeth and something unnaturally wrong altogether. Those fangs shouldn't be there at all, no -- and Ban struggled to regain control of his body as long, sharp dagger-like teeth sunk into the main artery of his neck deeply. Ban gasped and moaned in the dizzying pain and pleasure of his rapidly gushing wound. The vampire tugged onto his veins, sucking and drawing his blood, shuddering in ecstasy. His blood, his very essence was ambrosia to the vampire's body flowed in quick bursts out of him -- and the Jagan Master's pulse slowed.

"Gin-ji..."

Ban blacked out.

Back in the car, Ginji woke up with a start.


	2. Chapter 2

**Title:** Blood of the Snake

**By:** retroelectric

**Warnings:** Mature themes, Vampirism, Horror/Supernatural, Yaoi in future chapters

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the characters from Get Backers. This is a Get Backers fan fiction, ideas purely fan-made speculations based off the relationship between the Get Backers duo and infused with several elements inspired – and not stolen off the Vampire Chronicles Universe by Anne Rice. It is also important to note that this does not contain ANY of her characters, thus this is strictly NOT a Vampire Chronicles/Get Backers crossover. In this way I do not breach any of Anne Rice's policies regarding fan fiction on her work.

**Chapter 2**

* * *

_"Gin-ji..."_

"Ban-chan?" Ginji murmured sleepily, rubbing his eyes, half-expecting Ban to answer in his usual gruff manner, but there was none. His sleep-fogged mind instantly cleared as he realised Ban wasn't there beside him. Ban didn't do disappearing acts like this, it was normally Ginji who did so. Even if it were to take a smoke, Ban would wake Ginji up to inform him of it. It was so as to not make Ginji worry.

Come to think of it, Ban had been acting oddly lately. Ginji remembered Ban's restlessness in the Honky Tonk just then. Ban had been shooting wary glances to the outside and squirmed in his seat as though feeling uncomfortable. And when Ginji asked Ban what was disturbing him, Ban shot down any nuances of worry with a rough reply of "I'm fine, Ginji. It's just too warm," and a ruffle of his blond hair. That did not dispel any worry Ginji had for him, but he knew when not to antagonize Ban with his questions any further. So he had finished his dinner in silence but still flickered fleeting looks which screamed worry to Ban's frowning face.

It was times like those, that Ginji wished they had the privacy for him to hold Ban in his arms to comfort him. He knew Ban too well to know what he was feeling even though he showed no emotion. He wasn't as knowledgeable as his partner, but he knew enough from his base instincts to know when there was something wrong.

Getting out of the car, he decided to wander around outside to check where Ban could be. _I hope he isn't anywhere too far,_ Ginji thought worriedly. It was like a subtle change in the air, but he could tell when Ban was in danger, and vice versa. It scared him at the most to think that his partner was hurt, or being attacked, so he let his gut feeling direct him to where he thought Ban would be.

Would he have to face Akabane where Ban would be? Or Fudou, the senile bloodthirsty man after Ban's blood? He was supposed to be dead, or wasn't he? Or Hishiki? Ginji shuddered at the thought, remembering the encounters he had with that hulking man, and it only made him speed up his pace.

His feet brought him to the nearby park, and Ginji strained to see in the darkness illuminated eerily by the flickering light from the lampposts. "Ban-chan?" Ginji called out.

Walking on, he suddenly saw a flash of white on the ground. He rushed to the fallen figure, fearing the worst. Could it be...? "Ban-chan!" Ginji screamed, recognizing the familiar four-tailed shirt and the spiky brown hair. Ginji could recognise those distinctive features anywhere. Ginji fell to his knees next to Ban's unconscious body, gathering his limp body in his arms. "Ban-chan!!" Ginji shook his body, but there was no response.

Tears fell from Ginji's eyes, and fell into his partner's pale skin as he took in Ban's deathly blue lips and unusual pallor. And Ban's skin felt cold, cold as death... He knew, because he had seen death in Mugenjou far too often. Stroking the hair that fell into Ban's eyes, Ginji thought frantically that Ban couldn't be dead, no -- he was the invincible Midou Ban-sama, and he doesn't die that easily. There was still a lot that he wanted to do with Ban, and he didn't think he could live if Ban were not beside him.

Ginji's hand fumbled as he reached for his phone in one of his pockets and his fingers were unsteady as he dialed in Paul's home number.

"Hello?" Paul's bleary voice answered. Ginji tried to ease his sobbing so as to make himself heard.

"P-Paul-san... t-this is Ginji... B-Ban-chan has been attacked, and I don't know w-what to d-do," Ginji sobbed into the phone, his eyes tearing up even more if it was possible.

"What?! Bring him over to my place, you know the address right?" Paul was wide awake now. Even though he showed little sympathy towards the Get Backer's plight, he actually cared for them a lot.

"H-hai. Arigato!" Ginji hung up, and carried Ban's unusually light body towards Paul's apartment.

* * *

Ginji was a mess. Paul had been waiting outside his apartment, pacing back and forth and waiting for Ginji to arrive. He hadn't been able to stop his crying, and only when Paul had placed Ban on a spare bed conveniently placed in the living room and tended to him, was Ginji able to calm down.

"I-It's all my f-fault... If only I hadn't been sleeping..." Ginji whispered to no one in particular.

Paul could only sympathise with the sobbing blond boy and placed a free hand on Ginji's shoulder as he wiped Ban's forehead with a damp cloth. It was unnatural and unnerving at the same time to see Ban in this manner. He was usually cool, calm and collected, sometimes brash and he was always lively. Not like this, limp and unconscious and with a certain kind of pallor to his skin which Paul knew was associated with a great loss of blood. If there was blood loss, surely there must be a wound to denote that. Thoroughly checking Ban's body for any wound, he gaped to see four puncture holes on Ban's neck, right where the main artery would be.

"Ginji, you should see this."

Paul pointed to the inconspicuous wound on Ban's neck. Ginji looked at it in obvious surprise.

"A vampire bite?" Ginji mused aloud. Paul didn't know how to reply to that.

"Ban is still alive; don't worry. He is breathing but he has lost a lot of blood. Ginji, why don't you take a rest and we'll see if Ban will be better tomorrow?" Paul stated.

Ginji felt waves of relief pass through him. He smiled at Paul, and in a moment of impulse, went to hug the cafe owner. "Arigato, Master," he said.

Ginji, although relieved at the news from Paul, did not immediately nod off after the older man had gone to his bedroom. He climbed in to occupy the small space of the bed Ban was in. Wrapping a protective arm around Ban's slim waist, Ginji brought his other hand to brush Ban's unkempt hair out of his eyes. A tear fell involuntarily out of his eye. He had to relive the fear of having his best friend become close to death and he didn't want it to repeat ever again. Ginji kissed the corner of his mouth and smiled fondly at his partner.

"Ban-chan, I'm so glad that you are still alive. I wouldn't know what to do if you died because of a vampire bite." Ginji paused, then laughed softly at how ridiculous that sounded. Feeling comforted at the thought that - yes, Ban wouldn't die because of some vampire bite, - Ginji snuggled into Ban's body, finally falling asleep.

* * *

Ban awoke late that afternoon, gasping for breath as he struggled to sit up in a bed. Damn his disobeying limbs which were feeling unusually weak. Wait, he was sleeping in a... bed? He looked around his unfamiliar surroundings, his bleary eyes straining to take in the dull and drab colours of the walls. Then it hit him -- he was in Paul's apartment.

Ban's hand flew to his neck as he felt a painful throb there, involuntarily letting loose a groan. The sound attracted the attention of Ginji, who peeked his blond head from the kitchen and giving a bright and sunny grin to his awake partner.

"Oh, Ban-chan!" Ginji exclaimed, bounding over to Ban in an apron and hugging him tightly, as if afraid to let him go. Taking in a deep breath, he hoped that he wouldn't dissolve into tears and attempted to stop it by covering his watering eyes in Ban's shoulder.

"Oh, Ban-chan!" Ginji repeated, feeling a tightening in his throat from all the emotion that suddenly surged to the surface. "You scared me last night! You were missing from the car, and then I got this weird feeling that you might be in trouble, so I found you in a park and you were unconscious and you looked like you were dead, so I called Paul and told him about it and brought you here! He's now at Honky Tonk and told me to stay here until you've woken up." Somehow, Ginji summarized all of his pending questions and Ban managed to return the embrace Ginji was exuberantly giving him.

Pressing a chaste kiss to Ginji's temple, partly to comfort his friend and himself, Ban struggled to remember what had happened last night before he passed out.

The memories came to him like bright flashes of light, and visions of violet eyes and unnaturally pale skin flew in front of his eyes and he grew tense as though ready to attack. Ginji felt the sudden change in Ban's body, and let go of him to study Ban's frowning face.

"Ban-chan?" Ginji said questioningly.

"I was beginning to remember," Ban stated gruffly, rising from the bed a bit unsteadily. "I'm going to take a shower."

"Okay, Ban-chan! Call me if you need anything!" Ginji answered. Ginji stared after Ban's retreating body. Ban would eventually tell Ginji whatever it was that he was beginning to remember. After all, he trusted Ban and Ban would confide in him.

Eventually.


	3. Chapter 3

**Title:** Blood of the Snake

**By: **retroelectric

**Warnings: **Mature themes, Vampirism, Horror/Supernatural, Yaoi

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the characters from Get Backers. This is a Get Backers fan fiction, ideas purely fan-made speculations based off the relationship between the Get Backers duo and infused with several elements inspired – and not stolen off the Vampire Chronicles Universe by Anne Rice. It is also important to note that this does not contain ANY of her characters, thus this is strictly NOT a Vampire Chronicles/Get Backers crossover. In this way I do not breach any of Anne Rice's policies regarding fan fiction on her work.

**Chapter 3**

* * *

Ban stared at his gaunt reflection in the mirror. Unanswered questions filled his mind but he found himself ignoring them as he set to fulfill the task of cleaning himself. Unclothing himself quickly, he stepped into the shower and closed the door behind him, enjoying the spray of hot water across his body. The stinging of the wound on his neck maddened him. How could he have been so weak as to let a vampire attack him and drink his blood to the point of near-death? _He,_ the invincible Midou Ban-sama?

He found himself frowning as he remembered the power the vampire exuded, and the desperation he felt. He was able to fight the invisible bonds, but only just barely so. It was inhuman, and for once he feared for his life. He couldn't die at such an important stage of his life, no. If the vampire could control his body movement with only his thoughts, then he was afraid to know what else this vampire was capable of.

Then again, maybe he _did _know what vampires were capable of. It would be best if he were prepared for all that was to come in the very proximal future.

Finishing his shower, he toweled himself dry and reached for his pile of clothes, only to find them gone. Wrapping the towel around his waist indifferently, he let himself out of the bathroom.

"Ginji? Where are my clothes?" Ban called out to his partner.

Ginji came to the kitchen with a pair of folded jeans and a long-sleeved t-shirt in his hands and handed them to Ban. "Here," Ginji said, flushing slightly at the state of undress Ban was in. Why this reaction now? Ginji wondered, staring at Ban's naked back. He had seen Ban naked a few times before, and it never bothered him like this. Ginji turned his back to Ban and busied himself by pretending to rifle through the refrigerator.

After putting on the clothes, Ban flopped himself onto one of the chairs in the living room. He was still feeling lethargic and tired from last night's incident, but he still offered a small smile to Ginji as he came over to Ban and offered him a glass of milk. He accepted it gratefully and downed it quickly, slinging an amiable arm around his friends' shoulder.

"I feel like shit," Ban deadpanned to Ginji.

Ginji laughed despite himself and drew Ban closer to him. "I can tell."

What passed between them the next moment was inexplicable. Ban extricated his arm from around Ginji's shoulder, gazing into Ginji's chocolate brown eyes intently, gently stroking his face. Ginji could only stare back into the mesmerizing gaze, feeling the blush creep up into his cheeks as he felt the contact of Ban's calloused fingers brushing across his cheek.

"Ban-chan?" Ginji said questioningly, still blushing at the closeness of their faces.

Ban's hot breath lingered across Ginji's lips for a moment as the moment engulfed them and Ban's surprisingly soft lips touched onto his. It took a while for Ginji to respond to the sudden motion, and when he did and pressed his lips to Ban's harder, hungrily, Ban opened his mouth in invitation and Ginji let out a tiny gasp that went unheard between their interlocking motions. Tentatively using his tongue to stroke Ban's lower lip, Ginji snaked his tongue into Ban's hot and eager mouth and Ban groaned so needily, clutching onto Ginji as though afraid to let go. Ban was surprisingly vulnerable and Ginji thought fleetingly that he could get used to this. Their tongues touched, and the both of them melted at the sensations brought forth by the kiss.

It was over in an instant. Ban had pulled away, his face flushed.

"I'm sorry, Ginji - I didn't mean to do this," Ban mumbled, averting his eyes away from Ginji's gaze.

Ginji glanced at Ban's reddened face, feeling disappointed. The silence hung in the air, making the both of them feel uncomfortable. Ginji decided to dispel the awkwardness and spoke brightly. "Ne, Ban-chan, aren't we supposed to meet Master at the Honky Tonk?"

"Yeah, yeah, you're right," Ban replied grudgingly.

The walk down to the cafe was awkward for both Ban and Ginji. Ginji kept glancing to Ban's troubled expression, but Ban seemed dead-set on making their way to the Honky Tonk as fast as possible and ignoring Ginji's questioning looks aimed at him.

"Hello, you two," Paul greeted them as soon as they arrived to the empty cafe, the jingle of bells marking their presence. To their surprise, Paul got up from his seat and locked the door to the cafe.

Resuming his position from behind the counter, Paul looked pointedly at Ban behind his dark glasses. "Well?"

"I don't have to tell you anything, Paul," Ban groused.

"Ban-chan..." Ginji started.

Paul interrupted Ginji at once. "Now isn't the time for your pride, Ban. You were unconscious, had lost a lot of blood and made Ginji worried sick, and you're trying to tell me that it isn't none of my business?"

Ban sighed. It was an argument lost even before it began, and he knew it. "Che, fine." Ban continued.

"It was a vampire that attacked me." Ginji's eyes widened. "He has been following me for nearly a month now. He has some way of invading my mind and putting in thoughts that aren't mine -- it is hard to explain. Before he attacked me, I couldn't sense any presence at all. He doesn't have a scent to him, and he has white-blond hair, and violet eyes and skin like marble. He also has this strange power of being able to control my movements, and he is very dangerous. He just has this immeasurable feel to him." Ban looked to the both of them and shrugged. "That's about as much as I can tell you."

Ginji gaped at him for a few moments, open mouthed. Clearing his throat to be able to speak, Ginji finally said hesitatingly, "Do you suppose he... meant to kill you, Ban-chan?"

Ban paused for a moment. "Yes. He drained me to the point of death, but seeing as how I am the invincible Midou Ban-sama, it obviously failed." Ban puffed out his chest proudly, but deflated when a negative thought invaded him. "I don't know what to do," Ban mumbled quietly.

Paul, after being silent for a while, spoke. "Does this vampire have a name, Ban?"

A voice seemed to whisper to Ban's mind. "Cadmus Baptiste," Ban said, feeling surprised he even knew the name.

"Ban-chan..." Ginji shivered, looking to the outside through the glass window of Honky Tonk. It was already dusk, he hadn't realised that time had passed by so quickly. Paul went over to the door, unlocking it and looking at Ban through his dark glasses again. "Well, whatever happens, Ban," Paul stated, "don't let yourself get killed."

Ban made a non-committal sound and got up ready to leave. Grasping Ginji's arm and leading them both out of the cafe, he made with a "I'm off, Paul. See you."

Ban was secretly glad to be away from the cafe owner. Breathing in cool air of the evening, he was unaware of the firm hold he still had on Ginji's arm. It was only when he felt Ginji wriggling away from him that he was aware of it. "Sorry," he murmured to Ginji.

"Ban-chan, lets go back to our car, okay?" Ginji suggested. Ban nodded.

Ban felt uneasy all of a sudden as the duo navigated their way slowly to their car. The sensation he felt was like a slow coiling thing wrapping itself around his gut and squeezing him slowly. He found the reason for the odd feeling as he saw, perched on the hood of their car -- a pale, unearthly figure, giving a fanged grin in the direction of Ginji and Ban. Ban's heart skipped a beat as he recognized the creature as he spoke in that low and musical voice.

"Ah, Ban and Ginji. I was beginning to wonder when you were going to return." Cadmus spread his arms out in a gesture of welcome.


	4. Chapter 4

**Title:** Blood of the Snake

**By: **retroelectric

**Warnings:** Mature themes, Vampirism, Horror/Supernatural, Yaoi

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the characters from Get Backers. This is a Get Backers fan fiction, ideas purely fan-made speculations based off the relationship between the Get Backers duo and infused with several elements inspired – and not stolen off the Vampire Chronicles Universe by Anne Rice. It is also important to note that this does not contain ANY of her characters, thus this is strictly NOT a Vampire Chronicles/Get Backers crossover. In this way I do not breach any of Anne Rice's policies regarding fan fiction on her work.

**Chapter 4**

* * *

Cadmus spread his arms in a gesture of welcome. He was not that all surprised to see the Get Backers just standing there dumbfounded, staring at him. Getting down smoothly from the car, Cadmus noticed the blond boy backing away from him in fear, whilst Ban remained and stood his ground, a frown marring his features.

"Now, Ginji, don't be afraid of me. Ban, I trust that we've met before?" Cadmus said, stepping closer to the two humans.

Ban snorted derisively. "Ha, yeah right. You nearly killed me the last time we 'met', you blood-sucking bastard."

Cadmus laughed, a deep and rich quality to it that made Ginji want to shiver. "Crude as ever, Ban. This brings me to a point - you should be dead by now. It seems to me that I've overlooked a major quality concerning you, and that is you claim to be invincible. Am I correct?" Not waiting for a response Cadmus went on, talking animatedly in that strangely silken voice and fast hand gestures. "It could well be... arrogance on your part. Nevertheless, you still survived my attack and that is saying something. Throughout my three centuries of life on Earth, I have never met quite fascinating people as the both of you. Such fire I see burning in your eyes."

Cadmus paused, focusing his iridiscent violet eyes on the Get Backers.

"I must apologise for my introduction the other night. I should say; going up to a person, immobilising them then draining his blood never was a proper introduction. Nor was it proper of me saying that I was your worst nightmare, hm?" Cadmus gave another rich bark of laughter, and stepped forward only to be met with a flinch on Ginji's part.

"Don't be afraid of me, Ginji. I've had my fill tonight, so my hunger has been sated for now. But both of you, on the other hand, must be starving for food, now! Let me take the both of you to a place where I can introduce myself properly. Consider this as a token of apology from me." Cadmus smiled at them, concealing his fangs.

_What a smooth talker,_ Ban thought. _But there is something different about him tonight, like he isn't in the mood to attack me or Ginji at all. He isn't flaunting his vampiric condition like he did before attacking me. What could it be that he want? To fatten us like pigs for a royal feast?_ Ban frowned at the thought. _No, no, that couldn't be it._

"Ban-chan?" Ginji squeaked at his partner who seemed immobile all of a sudden. Ban startled at the interruption from Ginji, then cleared his throat. _If he wants to be polite to us and all, the least we could do is to return the favour._

"When you put it that way, there could be no way for me - no, us - to refuse," Ban replied, carefully schooling his features so as to not reveal what he was thinking. He glanced over to Ginji, giving him a look that said 'I know what I am doing and it will be alright'.

Cadmus's smile grew wider at the response. "That's excellent! We'll travel by air."

Ginji nearly jumped with shock as Cadmus suddenly had both he and Ban in each of his strong arms. "Shh, don't be afraid, my lightning-wielding lord," he whispered softly in his ear. "Close your eyes, and when you finally open them, we'll be there."

Ginji shivered again at the way those words were being spoken. Glancing over to Ban, he caught him closing his eyes upon Cadmus's command and Ginji did the same.

* * *

The ground no longer touched his feet and the cold wind whipped angrily against his skin. Somehow, the sensation of being in Cadmus's cold arms calmed him, and he let the feelings wash him away.

After a few moments, Ginji's feet touched the ground and he instantly knew that they had finally arrived. Cadmus had let go of the both of them.

_What is this place?_ Ginji wondered, staring open-mouthed at the hulking yet somehow elegant building which stood in front of them.

As if Cadmus had heard his thoughts, he said, "Welcome to my home. We are still in Japan, don't worry." Pushing his guests in front of him into the now-open door, he let them gape at the sheer opulence of the place. Heavy red velvet curtains hung, covering the luxurious French windows and Persian carpets covered the floors. Cadmus let them explore the place, urging a hesitant Ban on with an encouraging smile on his face. He indulged in the expressions of wonder which flitted across their faces as he followed not too closely behind them.

It had been long since he'd brought mortals to his residence. It brought a great feeling of happiness and another indescribable emotion to his ancient body, seeing such extraordinary mortals being in awe of what he possessed. A fleeting thought came to him, and he found himself wondering if they would want a life with him. He banished the thought when he remembered that they had yet to see the dining room.

"Ban, Ginji! Are you ready for dinner yet?" Cadmus called out to his guests.

Both of them stumbled to where Cadmus was, faces flushed with excitement. Cadmus couldn't help but to smile as he led them to the dining room, complete with a wide selection of food on the large table, more than enough for the two of them even with their ravenous appetites.

"Dig in!" Cadmus spoke, taking a seat in one of the chairs, enjoying the way the Get Backer's eyes shone at the invitation.

"Wow! Thank you Cadmus-san! The food is delicious!" Ginji said between mouthfuls of food. Ban nodded his head in acquiescence. "But... did you cook all these?"

Cadmus laughed in amusement. "No, I have servants if you must know. They cooked all of these for you."

Should he ask them? Would they accept, particularly Ban? He knew that it seemed impossible, that they'd just agree on a whim just like that, and a cold hearted thought flew by - that he should kill them if they resisted. But he wasn't so blind and so cruel as to not admit that these mortals beside him were so beautiful and enticing and it couldn't hurt to try.

He added with a hesitant tone to his voice. "They would cook for you again, and you'd have a place to stay if you agree to live here with me. It has been quite a considerable amount of time since I've had any company at all, and I would be pleased if you'd accept my offer. How does that sound, Get Backers?"

Ban paused mid-swallow at the question. Carefully thinking it over whilst glancing at Ginji's excited grinning face which practically screamed out - _yes, we should accept, _he turned azure eyes to meet Cadmus's violet ones.

"Hn, why not?" Ban cleaned up the last remnants of food from his plate and got up, faking a big yawn. "Well, could you please direct us to our new bed-chamber, Cadmus-sama? I'm feeling a bit tired, and it has indeed been long since we've both slept in a real bed, ne, Ginji?" Ginji nodded enthusiastically.

Cadmus felt his heart skip a beat. "I'll be glad to do so. Come, I'll show you to your new bedrooms. Or bedroom, if you'd prefer to share? Either way, there are more than enough rooms between the three of us, now."

"I'd like to share with Ban-chan, if it is alright!" Ginji said happily. Ban nodded.

"That is all right with me." Cadmus showed them to their room. Pausing, he left a lingering hand on Ban's cheek. "Goodnight, Ban, Ginji. Sweet dreams."

"I cannot believe our luck, Ban-chan! Cadmus-san seems like a really nice guy! He let us stay here and gave us food. Hey Ban-chan..." Ginji trailed off.

"Hm?" Ban responded, kicking his shoes off, in the process of rummaging through the antique wooden closet to find suitable pyjamas for the both of them.

"Why... why did you accept Cadmus-san's invitation? I mean... he was the one who attacked you and all then drunk your blood... Hey!" Ginji protested as a pair of pyjamas were thrown into his face.

"Quit asking silly questions, Ginji. We should be grateful for this. Put those on, we're going to bed." Ban stated roughly to his partner and undressed himself, putting on a pair of dark blue silk pyjamas. He threw himself onto the bed, stifling a small groan of happiness at the softness of it. Ginji quickly did the same, then occupied the space beside Ban on the bed.

Ginji curled an arm around Ban's waist. Ban made no move to push Ginji away, instead leaning into Ginji's warmth, closing his eyes.

"I love you so much, Ban-chan," Ginji murmured almost inaudibly. Ban opened an eye in surprise, only to find Ginji was already asleep and he gave a rare unseen smile to his sleeping partner.

It took him a while to get to sleep, despite being really tired and curled into the warmth that was Ginji's.


	5. Chapter 5

**Title: **Blood of the Snake

**By:** retroelectric

**Warnings:** Mature themes, Vampirism, Horror/Supernatural, Yaoi, Alternate Universe

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the characters from Get Backers. This is a Get Backers fan fiction, ideas purely fan-made speculations based off the relationship between the Get Backers duo and infused with several elements inspired – and not stolen off the Vampire Chronicles Universe by Anne Rice. It is also important to note that this does not contain ANY of her characters, thus this is strictly NOT a Vampire Chronicles/Get Backers crossover. In this way I do not breach any of Anne Rice's policies regarding fan fiction on her work.

**Chapter 5**

* * *

The room was still dark as Ban woke up, even though he knew it was already morning. He attempted to stretch his body, only to be met with resistance in the form of Ginji's arms still curled around him. Gently pulling them away, Ban groggily went to the bathroom door and opened it.

He knew he should have been used to the opulence of the place already, but he was quite impressed with the glittering black floor tiles and golden taps. Running fine-boned fingers across the smoothness of the marble sink, Ban took careful notice not to get entranced with the beauty of it all.

After the relaxing shower, Ban went over to the window intending to let some fresh air in. Gathering the heavy velvet drapes in one hand, he moved to open the window ,only to be met with an empty wall. _It's only normal,_ Ban guessed, _It is the residence of a vampire, after all._

Glancing over to Ginji who was still snoring softly, Ban smiled at the adorable picture he made with his face half-buried in a pillow, tousled blond hair and curled up against the sheets. Unconsciously letting his fingers run through the soft hair, Ban hadn't noticed Ginji had awoken until the other opened his eyes and smiled at him sleepily.

That smile of his seemed like the awakening of a new dawn. He could wake up to his smile for eternity; Ginji was Ban's proverbial sun. Ban couldn't sometimes believe how close they were, how quick they were to understand each other's emotions at any time. He hated how lost he felt if Ginji was not beside him, as if a part of himself had been stolen, and a gaping hole was left in his heart - rendering him weak. Ginji was his weakness. If he had had such a weakness in the past, he surely would have thought himself foolish to love. Everyone he loved always died, or got taken advantage of.

Before -- his life had been all darkness and no light to balance it out. But with the entrance of Ginji into his life, the light from him overwhelmed him, threatening to topple him over with its blinding ferocity. If not for all his years of discipline, he would have fallen ungracefully and flat on his face, but seeing as Ban was Ban, he never did, never would. He knew he wasn't gay as well, it was only attributed to the fact that he was attracted to Ginji; and it didn't matter that Ginji was a girl or a guy, it was just that powerful aura of his and the person himself, what he stood for that he was attracted to. He didn't quite care, as long as he had Ginji.

And after that kiss in Paul's home, he finally realised that those buried feelings of his were reciprocated in return. He realised something else as well; he didn't want to lose it -- he wanted it for eternity. But how to convey it into words? Ban wasn't the kind of person, couldn't be the kind of person who'd confess his feelings in a heartbeat, say -- _I love you, please don't leave me ever,_ and then embrace his love tenderly...

A tender person, Ban was not.

Imagine, Ban mused, the immortal Get Backers. Quite the pair they would make. And quite the name they'd make for themselves in the retrieval business as well.

"Ban-chan..." Ginji murmured, sitting up and stretching. Ban concealed his grin carefully from his partner, and gruffly stated, "Ginji, go take a shower, then we're going out." The blond nodded and smiled (a beam of sunlight seemed to shine) to him again, and made to get up.

Once satisfied hearing the bathroom door click shut, Ban relapsed deep into thought again. It was tough to conceal his thoughts from such a powerful vampire; he sometimes slipped in his concentration to do so, but he had managed pretty well so far. Amongst all the other dark arts that his grandmother had taught him back in Germany, one of them was that he had to learn how to conceal his thoughts from any mind reader.

He remembered the formidable Master he had learned the dark art from. The first time he had met with the tall and muscular man, Ban had been impressed by the powerful and strong aura the man exuded, and he immediately knew he wanted to be like that man. Shaking hands firmly with him, the Master smiled indulgently at him and had said, "Ah, you'll be a promising student."

Blushing at the compliment, Ban never forgot those words and let them boil to the surface every single time he felt as if he couldn't do it. Being a fast learner, Ban had truly met the Master's expectations and had learned the art of concealment till it burned into his mind like a hot iron brand on his skin, and it became as natural to him as breathing was.

Reminiscing the massive library in the mansion of his grandmother, Ban remembered stumbling across a thick book written by one of the elders of the Talamasca. The Talamasca was an organisation of psychic detectives who observed the paranormal - witches like his descendants, vampires, werewolves and spirits. The book itself had been stolen by his grandfather, as his grandmother told; from the Talamascan vaults. It cost him his life, but he did succeed with acquiring the treasured book. Drinking in the information from the yellow aging papers, Ban remembered being fascinated with the lives and the supernatural gifts vampires had.

Imagine turning a human being's insides to liquid with a mere thought. Or flying without wings, and the amazing ability to regenerate hair to its usual length even though it had been clipped. Commanding the human mind to bend to his will... Ban's mouth watered at the thought of all that power. Power he could never imagine, and it was all before him at the present moment. There was the fount of Cadmus's blood right in front of him, and how he wanted it, ached for it until his insides burned with longing and yearning for such amplified power.

And if it were handed to him willingly on a silver platter? Would Cadmus ever agree to give him immortality, and all the preternatural gifts which came hand in hand with it? Ban knew he needed to find a way to worm himself in Cadmus's ancient heart, enough to grant him that wish. A promise of immortality, an offering of his powerful witch blood to Cadmus and in exchange, the returned invincible vampire blood of Cadmus to him, granting him immortality. And to have the power of the Evil Eye, and of Asclepius all to himself for all eternity, never to fade away with age and wither like petals from a rose, and most of all -- Ginji.

Ginji had finished with the shower, and had stepped into the bedroom wearing nothing but a fluffy white towel around his waist loosely. Drinking in the sight of him bending over a closet digging for clothing, Ban smirked and crossed the room to Ginji. If he couldn't gain such immortality now, he could at least sate another fixation that he had lusted over for so long - Ginji. He knew he wasn't being brutal. No, being brutal was to kill or hurt, and he was doing neither at the moment.

"Ginji..." Ban murmured, placing a gentle hand on Ginji's shoulder.

Looking up to meet Ban's hungry eyes, Ginji felt confused with the sudden change in Ban's demeanor. "Yes, Ban-chan?" Ginji inquired curiously.

"Kiss me," Ban demanded.

And Ginji did. Slamming Ban's leaner frame onto the wall, Ginji attacked Ban's mouth. Their kiss was rough, and they were demanding, unrelenting, attacking each other with lips and tongue and teeth with startling ferocity. An unspoken need could be felt from their harsh motions, and Ban clawed onto Ginji's shoulder, Ginji tearing Ban's jumper away from his lithe frame. Grinding their hips together, the fabric of Ginji's towel and Ban's pants their only barrier, they moaned into each other's mouths as they got drunk on the heady taste of each other's mouths. Calloused fingers caressed soft, pale skin needily, and their conjoined lips separated, both of them breathing raggedly onto each other's bruised lips. Ginji's electricity crackled between their bodies, jolting them to new heights and an added fervor to their actions.

Ban's palm held Ginji's neck firmly in place as he whispered the next words huskily into Ginji's ear. "I want you now."

Ginji mewled at the honest admission from Ban in that tone of voice - like he owned every single part of Ginji. He knew that it was true in a way, and that Ginji owned every part of Ban as well. Unzipping Ban's pants with trembling yet certain hands, Ginji took Ban's hot and hard organ into his mouth, and the following moan issuing from Ban was something indescribable, to him. The intoxicating taste that was so uniquely Ban seemed to completely overwhelm him, and he couldn't stop even if he wanted to.

A few moments later, the two lovers lay on the floor, panting from the aftermath of their sex, exhausted and happy. Ban lifted himself up on an elbow and trailed languorous kisses along the length of Ginji's neck.

"Mm... Ban-chan, stop that please," Ginji moaned.

Ban smirked upon seeing Ginji's spent organ stir at his ministrations, and deftly purred teasingly, "Or? What will you do to me, hm?"

"Or I'll have to do what I did to you before," Ginji explained, a blush creeping onto his cheeks. Ban chuckled at his reply, and Ginji's control snapped at hearing Ban's little laugh. Knocking Ban's teasing hands away from his body, Ginji lifted Ban up from the floor and placed him roughly onto the sheets of the still-unmade bed the two shared.

"Hey! Don't lift me like some kind of girl--" Ban snapped, only to be cut short with Ginji's warm mouth diving quickly over Ban's lips, successfully silencing him and rendering him compliant in his arms.

They never made it out of bed that day.


	6. Chapter 6

**Title:** Blood of the Snake

**By:** retroelectric

**Warnings: **Mature themes, Vampirism, Horror/Supernatural, Yaoi, Alternate Universe

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the characters from Get Backers. This is a Get Backers fan fiction, ideas purely fan-made speculations based off the relationship between the Get Backers duo and infused with several elements inspired – and not stolen off the Vampire Chronicles Universe by Anne Rice. It is also important to note that this does not contain ANY of her characters, thus this is strictly NOT a Vampire Chronicles/Get Backers crossover. In this way I do not breach any of Anne Rice's policies regarding fan fiction on her work.

**Chapter 6**

* * *

Both of them lay sleeping in each other's arms after their passionate lovemaking that day, limbs tangled together. It was only a few hours after that Ginji stirred. Feeling pleasantly sore, Ginji padded over to the bathroom to clean himself up.

Noticing a piece of paper stuck to the bathroom mirror, Ginji looked at the elegant writing confusedly, not able to read the foreign language. Removing it, Ginji shook Ban awake. Opening his sleep-fogged eyes, Ban noticed Ginji waving a piece of parchment about.

"What is that, Ginji?"

"I don't know, Ban-chan. It is written in another language which I cannot read, and is probably from Cadmus-san as well," Ginji replied sheepishly, shoving the paper into Ban's hand.

Recognising the language written on the parchment as English, Ban read it quietly.

_Dear Ban and Ginji,_

_My, haven't the both of you worn each other out today. I have told the servants to prepare a feast for the both of you in the dining room. Be there by 8 pm._

_Cadmus_

Colouring slightly at the first sentence, Ban deftly translated the message to Ginji, omitting the little irrelevant comment Cadmus had made. "Oh. But, but, Ban-chan, it is already past 8 pm, and we're late in meeting Cadmus-san!" Ginji pointed out.

"Shit," Ban cursed, pulling on the discarded pants from the floor, Ginji doing the same. Running his fingers through his long, spiky hair quickly to make himself look more presentable, Ban flung open the door and motioned for Ginji to pass through and the pair rushed to the direction of the dining room.

Cadmus sat on one of the velvet chairs, dressed in a casual silk shirt, waiting patiently. He wore his gloriously wild white blond hair long and free that night, the very picture of elegance to Ban and Ginji. Ginji gaped for a moment before grinning at the vampire boyishly. He smiled as he laid his eyes on the disheveled duo when the large doors of the room flew open.

"Ah, Ban, Ginji, you're late," Cadmus said lightly.

"W-We're really sorry, Cadmus-san," Ginji stuttered apologetically, moving to take a seat in one of the lush chairs. The aroma of the delicious food sang out to him, and his stomach growled loudly in response. Giving a longing look to the food laid on large silver platters the table, Ginji swallowed back his hunger to give a polite smile to the man before him. "So, you said you wanted to talk to us..." Ginji trailed off.

Giving an amused laugh at Ginji's nervousness, Cadmus said, "That can wait for later. Now, I believe you must be hungry. Help yourselves!" Ginji nodded gratefully, and proceeded to do so.

After the meal, both Ban and Ginji leaned back into their seats contentedly. Ginji patted his stomach happily, and said, "Thank you so much, Cadmus-san! The food was delicious, as usual!" Ban flashed Cadmus a sensuous grin in agreement, and got up from his seat, pulling the blond vampire by the hand up gently. "Come," Ban whispered in his ear.

To say that he, Cadmus, was shocked from the sudden contact that Ban instigated would be a huge understatement. The heat from the strong arm Ban had wound loosely around his waist permeated through the silky fabric of his shirt and into his flawless marble-like cold skin. A surge of heady lust came and overtook his ancient body, and for a short moment he couldn't think. To think that this powerful mortal beside him was touching him like this -- it very nearly rendered him weak in the knees. Cadmus let Ban lead them to the living room, Ginji following behind bouncing excitedly on the balls of his feet.

Staring into Ban's unreadable azure eyes as he seated him on the black leather sofa, Cadmus couldn't help but lift a hand to stroke the soft skin of his cheek. The beautiful and mysterious man before him coloured slightly at the touch. Marveling at the smoothness of his skin and the way the corners of his lips lifted in a coy smile, Cadmus couldn't help but to be entranced by the blueness of his eyes, and the way the black round pupils gradually transformed into snake-like pupils.

Pushing violet glasses higher to cover the dangerous eyes before they released a Jagan, Ban spoke gruffly, "Don't look into my eyes like that, Cadmus."

"You're beautiful," Cadmus aspirated, finally regaining his voice.

Releasing his hand from around Cadmus abruptly as though he was burnt, Ban scowled at the honest admission, the blush on his pale cheeks raging. "Why, you! I am not 'beautiful'-" Ban started.

Ginji giggled and interrupted Ban's rant. "Cadmus-san is right! Ban-chan is beautiful, isn't he?" Cadmus nodded in agreement and chuckled as Ban blushed harder. Damn his European genes which lightened his skin colour and made his blush all the more obvious.

Frowning at the two blond men who were chuckling at his expense, Ban crossed his arms impatiently and looked pointedly at Cadmus.

"Well?" Ban urged.

"I must apologise for laughing at you, Ban. I also believe that I've stalled my introduction to the both of you long enough."

"Damn right you have," Ban muttered under his breath. Cadmus smiled at that, and he began his tale of his long life.

"I was born near the end of the 17th century in Herakleion, Greece. I lived as an vagabond orphan on the streets, and my life was basically a living hell for me. That was, until I was twelve years old when I was taken in by a kind man named Briareos. He was a carpenter, and the both of us lived in a tiny house, but I was grateful for him putting a roof over my head. Briareos was a poor man, but he had such a vast wealth of knowledge that he handed over to me. He taught me philosophy, religion, language, arithmetic, subjects which were popular at that time. His lessons never failed to capture my imagination, and I found myself looking forward to them every single time. His presence was a comfort to me in such hellish conditions."

"But Briareos died when I was seventeen due to an illness of the heart. Once again, I was a vagrant, left all alone in a world which only the fittest survived. I was crushed but I moved on. I suppose that's something in my nature to lack the appropriate emotions at the appropriate times?" Cadmus said questioningly, but continued when there was no response from the duo. "Another man came into my life, and he was a vampire whom I shall still call a secret. It was truly peculiar the way we met."

"Of course, I hadn't known of his true nature the first time I met him, passing off the unnatural pallor of his skin due to a skin condition. The first time I stepped into his home, I thought it was a palace. He seduced me utterly, and it was pure love that I had felt for him. I knew he wasn't any normal human being. He was always gone by day, and never ate or drank anything. But I was in love, and that was all that mattered. The night he made me into one of his kind was one of the most painful nights I had ever lived through."

"Right after giving me his powerful Blood, my Maker threw himself into a fire. 'Scatter my ashes,' he said to me right before he killed himself. He left me all of his treasures and gold, but I was left numb with the loss of my Maker and the added burden of the vampiric condition with no mentor to guide me through. It was painful - yet I put it all behind me again, like every other thing I seem to do with the most important aspects in my life."

Exhaling slowly, Cadmus banished the bitter-sweet memories from his mind and gazed intently to the Get Backers. "For the past three-hundred years of my life, I've lived amongst mortals like this. Have you ever noticed how repetitive life can be? How in the end, all of us, immortal or mortal - seem to revert to doing things that are deemed 'safe' for us, until we finally break and come out of our shell. That's what I'm doing right now; I am finally letting mortals into my life, something I have never done before. They are no longer just nourishment for me. Both of you are no longer just human to me, not just that. You're both extraordinary, there is simply no other word for you."

"And no matter how hard I find, I could never find an immortal the same as I. Could it be possible that I'm the only of my kind that's alive? Or I haven't been looking hard enough?" Cadmus rose abruptly in anger and slammed a fist into the table.

Ginji nearly jumped in his seat from shock. _How had he...?_ Cadmus was sitting on the sofa one instant, and he had his fist buried in the broken table in the next? "Cadmus," Ban started, rising and wrapping his arms around Cadmus's hard body from behind, instinctively clasping a hand on Ban's interlocked arms around him. "Don't take it all on yourself. We'd hate to see you like this. You have us, now. We do not care." _About other vampires,_ that bit was unspoken, but Cadmus knew.

A blood tear fell from an eye. Ban released from his hold, and gently grasped Cadmus's face in a palm. A finger wiped that lone tear away -- and the next thing he knew was that both Ban and Ginji had enveloped him in their arms.


	7. Chapter 7

**Title:** Blood of the Snake

**By:** retroelectric

**Warnings:** Mature themes, Vampirism, Horror/Supernatural, Yaoi, Alternate Universe

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the characters from Get Backers. This is a Get Backers fan fiction, ideas purely fan-made speculations based off the relationship between the Get Backers duo and infused with several elements inspired – and not stolen off the Vampire Chronicles Universe by Anne Rice. It is also important to note that this does not contain ANY of her characters, thus this is strictly NOT a Vampire Chronicles/Get Backers crossover. In this way I do not breach any of Anne Rice's policies regarding fan fiction on her work.

**Chapter 7**

* * *

It could be likened to a spit-spark of a flickering flame that he felt growing from the base of his ancient heart. Cadmus went stiff for a moment, his arms just hanging by his sides limply as he felt two pairs of warm, mortal arms curving tightly around his body. Their intoxicating scent surrounding him seemed to release a raging hunger inside him that was so much different; probably heightened from the blood lust he normally felt every night. No, he should block out that enticing sound -- the rhythmic thud-thudding of the muscle, the roaring rush of blood in the live veins...

Cadmus couldn't help but loop an arm around Ginji's neck, drawing him closer and accidentally knocking Ban's arms off him in turn, inhaling the sweet yet spicy scent of his smooth cherubic skin. He did not - could not - feel the heat of Ban's disapproving stare as his violet eyes clouded from the raging lust, and he buried his face into Ginji's warm and tantalising neck. Ginji drew his cold and hard body closer to himself as though feeling the same swoon as Cadmus felt.

Cadmus could feel Ginji's hardness poking into his thigh and an overwhelming lust overcame his body. Ginji's chocolate brown eyes glazed over as he exposed his neck wantonly to Cadmus, as though inviting him to drink from his life fount. Forgetting himself for a moment, Cadmus placed his mouth on the pulse point of Ginji's neck, flicking out his tongue serpent-like and tasting the heat and fire of his skin. The way Ginji moaned was something indescribable even to him and it stirred something deep inside his soul. His long dagger-like fangs raked slowly across the pulse, and he was about to sink his fangs deep into the artery when he was rudely ripped out of his reverie as something flung him away from Ginji.

He landed onto the sofa hard and gasped wildly from the loss. Cadmus could barely make out the figure standing before him in the hazy fog of blood lust which was still working its magic inside him. Ginji had a look of confusion etched on his face.Blinking owlishly, Cadmus's blurred sight cleared at last and he belatedly realised what he had nearly done.

"I'm sorry, Ginji-san! I shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry-" Camus blabbered, panic slowly rising and he backed away from the two mortals. _No, they're going to leave me after this, damn you Cadmus, you should have controlled yourself better, this is what you get from being such a damn unfeeling vampire - you're such a fool, no, no..._

"Cadmus-san," Ginji interrupted the panicking blond vampire. "It's okay... I forgive you."

The last few words were spoken in a soft and delicate whisper, but it stopped him right in his tracks. "You forgive me?" Cadmus asked,his eyes wide in shock and not believing it to be true.

Ginji gently grasped Cadmus's chin in one hand, and lifted, just enough for him to meet Cadmus in the eye as he stared, lust still brewing deep inside his body. "Of course I do," Ginji whispered. In a sudden hungry motion, Ginji had pushed Cadmus down onto the floor, and even before he could take in a sharp intake of breath as his head knocked harshly into the wood, Ginji had enveloped him into a hot and hungry kiss.

He was fiercely ravaging him, and Cadmus could not be bothered to switch their positions even as Ginji's fingers tugged onto his silky smooth white-blond hair. All he could think about was that he could no longer stand the wondrous sensations of Ginji's eager tongue exploring the whole of his mouth, but he couldn't stop himself from returning the kiss in an equal frenzy. Their teeth clacked together harshly, and Cadmus grasped the back of his neck to deepen and also to refine their kiss. His razor-sharp fangs nicked Ginji's bottom lip accidentally and he finally had him there, there... and Oh God. His hot blood flowed between them. It was sweeter than any blood he'd ever tasted, and he went into a swoon as he tasted the warm blood in his mouth.

Ripping his mouth away from Ginji's intense kiss, Cadmus gasped for breath, the heady spell of lust finally dispelling from the taste of the blood from Ginji. Ginji's cherubic face was adorably flushed red, and his lips were swollen but his eyes were still full of unfulfilled lust. Cadmus grinned as he realised the cause for that expression, and he ground his hips up into Ginji's hard and throbbing groin. Ginji groaned loudly and snapped his eyes shut from the short contact.

Bringing his mouth close to Ginji's ear, Cadmus whispered huskily, "I can do something to cure that for you."

Opening his eyes again, Ginji looked at Cadmus questioningly. Cadmus only grinned again in reply, and bit down into the bottom of his lip with a fang, just enough to let his blood flow for a short while. Closing his bloody mouth over Ginji's once more, Cadmus let his ancient vampire blood flood into Ginji's mouth.

Ginji's eyes widened, but they were unseeing as he convulsed and writhed on top of him. The otherworldly taste of the blood overwhelmed him completely. The blood filling his mouth was electric, and it was something beyond pleasure and it shocked his whole body stiff as he came several times in his pants.

This time it was Ginji who was wildly gasping for breath, chest heaving with his panting as the aftershocks of his orgasm left him. He couldn't speak for a moment, and he couldn't even be bothered with the wetness in his pants as he stared wildly and confusedly at the vampire still beneath him.

"W-What was that?" Ginji spoke in a ragged tone, looking at Cadmus incredulously as though disbelieving what he had experienced the past few moments.

Cadmus smiled gently at him and kissed the corner of his mouth tenderly. "I gave you my blood kiss."

"Mmmph," Ginji groaned unintelligibly as he struggled to regain his wits and the sensation back into his body. Cadmus wasn't helping too; he was still showering Ginji's skin with fleeting butterfly kisses and massaging the nape of his neck slowly. Then he suddenly remembered.

"Ban-chan?" Ginji glanced around the room looking for his partner. Finally getting off Cadmus and sitting up, Ginji wondered where Ban could be. "Where's Ban-chan?" Ginji asked Cadmus.

Cadmus shrugged indifferently. Ginji stood up on his wobbly legs and tugged uncomfortably at his now-damp pants. He smiled at Cadmus with a blush marking his embarrassment. "Cadmus-san, I, uh, got to change. Goodnight!" Ginji said hurriedly, and attempted to leave.

Cadmus clasped Ginji's wrist in one hard, successfully stopping him in his hasty retreat. Giving him a final and gentle kiss, Cadmus let him go with a slight smile which was reciprocated in return.

"Say goodnight to Ban for me," Cadmus called out in a voice half-filled with mirth and satisfaction as Ginji went up the stairs.

* * *

Ginji knocked politely on the door to his room, a bit hesitant in his action.

"What?" Ban's voice growled out, slightly muffled.

"May I come in?"

"It's your room too, baka," Ban answered none too politely.

Ginji opened the door and spotted Ban lying half-naked across the four-poster bed. Grinning at his frowning partner, Ginji walked over to the closet for a fresh change of clothes.

After cleaning himself up, Ginji flopped himself onto the bed and sighed in contentment. He gave a cursory glance to Ban who had his back to him, feigning sleep. Ginji giggled softly as he laid a hand over Ban's waist and was met with an angry glare.

"Jealous, Ban-chan?" Ginji chuckled, raining soft kisses onto Ban's shoulder.

Ban merely growled in response and he shoved Ginji's hand away from his shoulder, pinning his hands over his head in one fluid moment. Ban was on top of him, and had engulfed Ginji in a desperate kiss, reclaiming him once more and marking him his, not Cadmus's.

Little did Ginji know how true those words he'd uttered teasingly were for Ban.


	8. Chapter 8

**Title: **Blood of the Snake

**By:** retroelectric

**Warnings:** Mature themes, Vampirism, Horror/Supernatural, Yaoi, Alternate Universe

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the characters from Get Backers. This is a Get Backers fan fiction, ideas purely fan-made speculations based off the relationship between the Get Backers duo and infused with several elements inspired – and not stolen off the Vampire Chronicles Universe by Anne Rice. It is also important to note that this does not contain ANY of her characters, thus this is strictly NOT a Vampire Chronicles/Get Backers crossover. In this way I do not breach any of Anne Rice's policies regarding fan fiction on her work.

**Chapter 8**

* * *

It was blindingly bright and _colourful_ outside.

That was the first thought which struck both Ginji and Ban as they stepped out of the mansion for the first time in three days. If there ever was such natural and exquisite beauty in this concrete-coated world, Ban thought, then that was what he was looking at it right now. He remembered the flowery descriptions of wilderness and warmth and peace from a scene in a romance novel he had picked up and read out of curiosity, and this breathtaking view reminded him of it. The picturesque way sunlight fell onto the flowers and clipped bushes of the lush garden which he hadn't even known existed made him wonder. He hadn't even realised such beauty existed in a place where such an... enigmatic vampire resided.

His train of thought was interrupted by Ginji's soft voice. "Ban-chan..." Ginji said, in wonder as he stared open-mouthed at the view. "It's so beautiful," he finished.

"It is, isn't it," Ban agreed, surveying the greenery. He was momentarily startled as he felt a warm hand on his arm tugging him forward, and realised Ginji wanted him to move with him.

"Wow, Ban-chan, what's the name of this flower? It looks like a trumpet..." Ginji pointed excitedly towards a large red flower with long petals.

"That's a hibiscus."

Ban followed closely behind Ginji watching his partner fondly as he moved from flower to flower. His brown eyes shone happily as he fingered the soft petals. "They're all so pretty, Ban-chan!"

"I'm glad you like them, Sir," A foreign voice responded.

Both of them turned to the direction where the voice came from. A well-dressed elderly Japanese man smiled at them, with a pair of dirt-covered gloves bunched up in one hand. The man was sturdily built and it suggested years of hard labour, but his oddly upright posture belied it. His handsome face was deeply lined with age, and despite that, the lines of his face and the hard set of his jaw let them both to believe that he had been a very good-looking man once. He moved closer to the pair, and spoke. "I've taken care of this garden for more than forty years, but no one has ever come to look at my work, not even Master Cadmus, in a long time."

"Really? That's terrible! This garden is so beautiful! You've done a good job, Mr..." Ginji replied, gesturing for his name.

"Call me Kato-san." The old man offered. "I assume you both are Master Cadmus's mysterious guests? The servants were terribly excited when they finally got a chance to cook again. Our Master never eats nor drinks. He would usually be gone by day, leaving this mansion in our hands. He told us to treat this place as our own home. Of course, we are paid handsomely to do so, to keep it in good condition. We are eternally grateful. Now, the servants told me of a pair of young men, of whom our dear Master Cadmus seem to be quite taken to. I should guess that you both are the two young men." Ginji blushed, while Ban bristled. Seeing Ban's reaction, Kato continued apologetically. "Although, I shouldn't assume such matters pertaining to dear Master Cadmus's fancies, ah, yes, I shouldn't."

Ban felt like responding with a brisk 'Damn right you shouldn't', but he opted to remain silent. Ginji, meanwhile, decided to introduce themselves to the seemingly kind old man. "I am Amano Ginji, and this is my best friend Midou Ban-chan! We are the Get Backers!" He said brightly, bowing slightly before him.

The old man seemed surprised. "The Get Backers?"

"Yes, we are a retrieval team based in Shinjuku," Ban finally spoke, smiling enigmatically at the old man. "Nice to meet you."

Kato suddenly had a faraway look in his eyes. "You are quite the distance away from home."

"Where are we, then?" Ginji inquired, curious.

Kato's face darkened slightly as though he had a secret to hide. "Let's go inside for a while, shall we? I'm tired from pulling those weeds, and I could use a drink." The old man suggested, gesturing to the mansion. Ban and Ginji nodded, and Ginji shot one last longing glance to the garden. This did not go unnoticed by Ban, and he placed a hand on Ginji's shoulder in a gesture meant to comfort him.

"We'll come out again later, I promise," Ban whispered in his ear. Ginji nodded in response.

Kato paused on the doorstep, causing the two to stop as well. "Please wait for me on the fifth floor, the second door to your right. That would be where I stay." Kato's voice lowered considerably and he spoke in a hushed tone. "We do not want Master Cadmus to overhear us. If we were to talk about this in the living room, we'd be right above Master Cadmus, and he hears all, sees all." Ban nodded curtly, understanding and they climbed the stairs up to the room.

The fifth level of the mansion contained several rooms. Ginji gaped, and paused to count the number of doors. Ban clicked his tongue impatiently at it and shoved Ginji inside Kato's room, effectively starting a bout of Ginji's whining.

"Ban-chan, I just wanted to see how many rooms there are..." Ginji started, turning to face his partner with round, pleading brown eyes.

"Quiet, Ginji. You can always do that later." Ban admonished. "Did you hear the way the reverent way the old gardener spoke about Cadmus? 'Hears all, sees all'." He quoted. "And that if we were in the living room, we'd be right above Cadmus. Does that mean he's underground right now?" Ban paced back and forth along the length of the large room, contemplating the mystery.

Ginji nodded. "Hmm, maybe. It did seem weird the way Kato-san referred to him as Master Cadmus all the while..."

"Good ol' Cadmus has some hidden secrets up his sleeve." Ban mused. "How come we never came across any of the servants before?"

"Maybe they are ghosts, Ban-chan," Ginji said thoughtfully, moving to sit down in the velvet chair.

Ban stared at his partner incredulously, a smile tugging onto his lips. "Ghosts and a vampire under one roof, Ginji? You think of some weird stuff."

"Cadmus is a vampire, Ban-chan! If there are vampires, there would surely be things like ghosts and all that as well, right?" Ginji said defensively. He shuddered as a thought hit him. "Ne, Ban-chan..."

"Yes?"

"What if... Kato-san... is a ghost?"

Ban laughed. "Don't be silly. Do ghosts appear in broad daylight?"

Ginji didn't get an opportunity to bite back a response as the door opened, and the grey-haired gardener came into the room, with a tray and a few caramel-coloured glass bottles of what appeared to look like beer in it. Upon closer inspection, Ban saw that it was. Ban frowned, _do old gardeners normally down bottles of cold beer after they'd spent the morning pulling up weed?_

"Iriomote," Kato clarified, offering a bottle each to Ban and Ginji and sitting down on his bed.

"Iriomote? You mean to say that this mansion is surrounded by jungles?" Ban asked nonchalantly, hiding the panic rising in his mind at the information and taking the offered bottle, removing the cork with his teeth.

Ginji struggled to pry the cork with his fingers and finally succeeded. Then he mulled over what Ban had said in his mind as he took a sip of the bitter yet oddly satisfying liquid. Then it struck him.

"W-Wait a minute, jungles?!" Ginji exclaimed shrilly.

Kato nodded, confirming the truth.

"Master Cadmus built this place around 50 years ago. I was a young man like you were back then - and was just a curious tourist from mainland Tokyo who had, after certain misdirections, become lost alone in the woods. I remember my desperate fear then of never being found, and eventually dying in the maze-like jungle. I called out, to see if anyone could hear and help me. But there was none. I was getting more and more afraid once night came, and I could not help but to cry. I was so cold, so hungry... and when I looked up, there was a man standing in front of me, offering his hand."

"I thought then he may have been an angel, or a ghost. He was so beautiful, and so enigmatic that I couldn't speak for a while, and I only looked at him with the tears drying on my face. Then he laughed, and it held me in thrall. It was so rich, and I never heard quite a sound like that in my life. He lifted me in one motion, and I do not know much to describe that feeling, but I felt so at ease and the exhaustion of the eventful day finally caught up with me and I fell asleep in his arms."

The Get Backers listened intently to the man's story. "I woke up surprisingly, in a bed. I began to wonder whether everything was just a dream. I went out of the room and down the stairs, and saw the same man as before lying sprawled across a large chair. He grinned and beckoned to me with one finger, and I felt drawn to that figure in the chair. I went to him, and he drew me into an quick embrace, making me sprawl onto him." The beginnings of a blush appeared in Kato's face.

"When he finally spoke, it was to tell me to eat. I stared at him as though his words were foreign." Ginji was startled at the sudden pause, and nodded probingly for Kato to go on.

"As I ate, he offered me a job working for him, just tending to his garden, for a large sum of money. Of course, I had free lodgings and food, so I had to accept. And I had no idea where I was, besides the fact that I was in Iriomote. Life back in Tokyo could never be as good as this. With my decision to stay with him, I had the opportune moment to leave all my bad memories behind, and all my family. So, I accepted."

"He swore me to secrecy not to reveal the location of this place. But as an old man, I'm telling both of you my story because, really, you cannot go away and escape from this place at all. I know, because I've tried. And so have the rest."

"W-What do you mean, Kato-san?" Ginji stammered in a sudden surge of fear.

"Master Cadmus is a sorceror. An alchemist, if I could say that. I have never left the grounds of this mansion for more than 40 years. Every time I would try to, I end up walking in the same circles and return to the same place once more, as though there is a charm preventing intruders from finding this place, and from anyone attempting to leave."

"I don't believe you," Ban suddenly groused, with the tone of someone being challenged with something offensively easy and gulping down the beer that he'd forgotten in his hand. "I can escape any time I please."

"Try to escape, then." The statement was spoken so fiercely, that Ban was taken aback.

Ban regained himself, and smirked. "Are you bitter, old man? The lap of solitude is too much for you?"

"Ban-chan, don't say that!" Ginji exclaimed to his partner, frowning.

The old gardener was silenced for a moment. "It could very well be," he rasped, grudgingly, finishing the first bottle of beer, and moved to open a second one.

"Well, we're going off, then. See you around." Ban spoke, tugging onto Ginji's sleeve and motioning him to stand up as well. Right before they opened the door, the old man who was now reclining onto his bed spoke in a calm voice.

"I know what you're thinking, Midou Ban."

Ban tensed and turned to face the figure on the bed. "And that is...?"

"You, the ever-analytical man, heard and inferred what I had said about Master Cadmus being underground. I know from the look on your face. You are curious, and you want to know more. And you want to solve his mystery. And I suggest... ignore what I said, unless you want to die. No one enters my Master's dungeon and comes out alive."

_Damn it, how did this old man know?_ "Well, maybe we are not ordinary people, old man."

With that, Ban grasped Ginji's hand in a firm hold. He threw the door open and the both of them slipped away outside, into the sun and away from meddling, drinking old gardeners and mysteries abound.


	9. Chapter 9

**Title:** Blood of the Snake

**By:** retroelectric

**Warnings:** Mature themes, Vampirism, Horror/Supernatural, Yaoi, Alternate Universe

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the characters from Get Backers. This is a Get Backers fan fiction, ideas purely fan-made speculations based off the relationship between the Get Backers duo and infused with several elements inspired – and not stolen off the Vampire Chronicles Universe by Anne Rice. It is also important to note that this does not contain ANY of her characters, thus this is strictly NOT a Vampire Chronicles/Get Backers crossover. In this way I do not breach any of Anne Rice's policies regarding fan fiction on her work.

**Chapter 9**

* * *

Ginji absentmindedly wound a lock of Ban's dark hair around a finger, whose head was rested on Ginji's lap. Four days had flew by after the meeting with Kato-san, the old gardener, Ginji mused. He watched as Ban leafed through a thick book, the pages yellowed with age, wondering to himself of the people he and Ban had left behind in Shinjuku. Ban's vivid blue eyes seemed to crackle across lines of black-inked words, absorbing the information from the book. Ginji smiled at the picture he made, brows knitted together and concentrating on the text held out before him.

Ginji didn't even realise that Ban had closed his book and had sat upright in his seat, looking at Ginji's face intently. It was only when his calloused fingers stroked down the side of his neck that he noticed the deep stare Ban had on him.

"Ban-chan? Is everything okay? Is there something on my face?" Ginji asked, feeling a self-conscious blush creep up onto his cheeks.

Ban laughed softly. "No, there's nothing on your face. I just-" He moved closer to Ginji, eliminating the space between them both. "-wanted to admire you, that's all." With that, Ban licked down the side of his neck, a devious grin playing on his lips.

Ginji giggled a bit, but pushed Ban away. He held his grinning lover an arm's length from him, and spoke in a more serious tone. "Ban-chan, you're always like this. No offense, but," Ginji paused at Ban's indignant squawk and continued. "You seem to always want to say something to me, but you don't. So tell me, what is it you want to say to me?"

Ban was startled at Ginji's question. He raised his hands up in defeat. "Okay, you caught me, Ginji." Ban hesitated, but continued at Ginji's probing look. "I'm just curious. How did... Cadmus's blood taste like?"

Ginji giggled again. "Oh, so that's what's bothering you. Well, it's hard to describe..." Ginji paused thoughtfully. "The taste is like nothing I've ever tasted before... it kind of rushes into your brain and shocks your body in a GOOD way, you see..." He blushed at the memory, and Ban smirked at Ginji's implication.

"That good, Ginji? I'd better ask Cadmus for one of his blood kisses, then," Ban murmured wickedly into Ginji's ear. The blond boy responded with a cute pout and a frown. Ban ran his finger teasingly across his full bottom lip. "What, you can do that with him, and I can't?"

"It's not that, Ban-chan..." Ginji protested, swatting Ban off him playfully.

"Then what is it? Could you be... _jea-lous_?" Ban said in an unusual sing-song voice. Ginji passed it off to one of Ban's rare good moods, which made him do things which were unlikely for a person such as him.

"You seem very happy, Ban-chan," Ginji grinned at his partner, and cleverly avoiding Ban's question. He expected Ban to protest, but instead, he grinned wider.

"Of course I'm more than happy. I'm with you," Ban stated honestly, and moved closer to Ginji, leaning in for a kiss.

"And with me as well, I hope," A familiar voice sounded, startling them both.

"C-Cadmus-san!" Ginji stuttered, being startled at the vampire's sudden presence and began moving away from Ban as far as possible. Ban smirked at Ginji's prudishness and gestured to Cadmus to sit in between them.

Laying an arm onto Cadmus's broad shoulder, Ban smirked again in his attractively arrogant manner and spoke.

"Hey, don't I get any attention from you at all?"

Cadmus flashed iridescent violet eyes in surprise and smiled at his good mood. "What do you mean, cherub?"

"Cherub?" Ban muttered incredulously, then shrugged. "Well, anything is better than Snake Bastard, or Man with the Evil Eye, I suppose." Ban paused, then leaned into Cadmus's personal space, and grinned when he heard a hitching of breath from the vampire. "What I mean is... don't I get any blood kisses, Cadmus?" He purred, hot breath tickling his ear. "I'd _kill _to have a taste of you..."

Cadmus stilled for a moment upon hearing those wicked words. He grasped and lifted Ban's chin to meet his eyes. "You're lucky that I have already fed before coming here, cherub," He whispered softly, bringing Ban's full mouth to his.

"So - warm," Ban gasped between his furious kisses, purposefully nicking his bottom lip onto Cadmus's sharp fang. His warm blood trickled into Cadmus's mouth. His eyes widened and he let out an involuntary gasp as he ripped his mouth away from Ban's.

"What are you doing?" Cadmus choked out, as he struggled to let go of the spell of his hot blood. The heady taste of Ban's sweet essence still lingered in his mouth.

"Please," Ban mewled, grabbing the back of Cadmus's neck forcefully and meshed their lips together once more, nicking a fresh cut on his tongue with a fang. Pleased with the dull throb the cut made, he pushed his bloody tongue into Cadmus's open mouth and gasped as Cadmus sucked hard on his tongue, drawing every single drop of blood from the cut. He heard Ginji's light footsteps move away from them, and halted.

"No, Ginji wait," Cadmus panted and stopped mid-suck, releasing Ban. His eyes roved to Ban's flushed expression and his ravaged lips for a moment, and then to Ginji's retreating back. Ginji stopped.

"The three of us should move... somewhere more comfortable," Cadmus murmured, raising an eyebrow in suggestion.

Ban shook his head as if to clear it, sitting up. "Yeah, you're right." In a quick flurry of movement which surprised even Cadmus, Ban had both Ginji and Cadmus by the hand, half-dragging them to his and Ginji's room. A determined expression was plastered all over his still-flushed face. If Ginji didn't know any better, he would have mistaken that expression for his battle face.

Once there, he pushed both of them onto the bed, and began ravaging Cadmus's mouth and moved out of his clothes in one lithe wriggle. He sat heavily on Cadmus's hips, straddling him, and he couldn't help but to fall deep into Ban's intense stare as he locked his eyes to his.

Ban broke the heady spell with a devious grin, and he tossed his head over his shoulders to meet Ginji's own hungry stare. Cadmus finally noticed that he was the only one still fully-clothed between the three of them, and made a move to unbutton his own shirt, but was met with resistance in the form of Ginji's hand clasped around his wrist.

"Let me," Ginji spoke in his distinctively innocent voice, a blush forming in his cheeks. _It was odd how he could still sound so innocent whilst having his half-hard organ exposed and doing not-so-innocent things to Ban's,_ Cadmus thought. His hands trembled as he popped each button out of its place slowly, and Cadmus lifted his body temporarily to help Ginji speed up the process of removing his clothes.

"Your skin... is like marble," Ban rasped, trailing a calloused hand down the length of Cadmus's lightly muscled body. Ginji made an impatient and needy sound, and engulfed Ban in a desperate kiss and startling the other. The surprise was quickly replaced with a grateful moan, though, as Ginji moved his mouth lower and licked the hot head of Ban's throbbing erection. Ban was truly beautiful writhing across the sheets in need.

"Gin-ji..." Ban cried out in pleasure, his spine arching as Ginji suckled hard on him. Then he said the unthinkable. "Take me..."

Ban groaned upon feeling the loss of warmth from Ginji's mouth on his manhood. "Are you sure, Ban-chan? I mean... I've never done that to you before..."

"Ginnnn-ji.." Ban growled. In a quick move, he pushed Ginji on his back next to Cadmus, and the next thing he knew was that Ban had his erection in his hot and eager mouth. Ginji groaned loudly, and in a move to stifle said sounds had engulfed Cadmus in his own hot and eager kiss. The intensity of his kiss made Cadmus enter a whole new level of arousal he'd never felt before in his life.

Ban's sight was hazy with lust, but his intentions were clear. He fully intended to let both Ginji and Cadmus claim him that night. With that thought, Ban sucked hard, letting his spit trickle down to the base of Ginji's erection. Ginji groaned loudly, but it was muffled as Ban's mouth left him still hard and hanging on by a thread.

Without warning, Ban had lowered himself forcibly onto Ginji's erection making the both of them groan loudly. Ginji ripped his mouth away from Cadmus's for a moment, eyes wide with desire. Panting, Ban ignored the burning sensation he felt and focused on the escalating spit-spark of pleasure as he rode Ginji's hardness.

"Mnh... Gin-ji..." Ban groaned, his hips undulating hard.

Ginji gasped as Ban's muscles clenched around his, who was unused to being taken in this manner. Ginji shifted his hips a little, and Ban let loose a little scream as the head of Ginji's erection hit his sweet spot. Just a little more, and he knew he was done with...

Cadmus could not take it any longer seeing the two mortals pleasure each other in front of him. The surge of lust he felt was making his preternatural vision blur, and he knew he had to do something before he went mad with the thought. He envied them, in a way -- he couldn't feel sexual peaking in the same sense as they could. But he had another thing to offer; and he bit down on the tip of his tongue, and raised his bloody mouth to Ginji's open and gasping lips, sneaking in his bleeding tongue into his mouth.

Ginji gaped soundlessly and stilled, and he shot his essence deep and several times into his lover as the taste of Cadmus's ancient blood flooded all his senses. Ban gasped as he felt most of his hot liquid flow down his thigh, and he couldn't think for a moment as Cadmus enveloped him in the blood kiss. He trashed wildly about as the blood clouded his vision and he reached his peak several times over, coating all three of them copiously with his semen. Ban felt liquefied as he flopped his body on top of Ginji's, not minding the mess he was falling into.

All three of them breathed hard, still recovering from the exhilarating high of their sex. Ginji was still buried deep inside his lover, but the both of them made no move from their positions.

"That was amazing," Ban commented, chest still heaving as he extricated himself from Ginji.

"Mhmm..." Ginji mumbled in acquiescence, winding an arm each around the two men. He looked close to falling asleep, and Cadmus thought he'd never seen something so adorable in his life.

Cadmus tightened his hold on both of them, and smiled as he settled into a light doze.

* * *

The next evening found the trio all cleaned up, and Ban and Ginji tucking into a much-needed satisfying dinner. He only heard slivers of muted conversation between them, but he wasn't paying that much attention to it.

Cadmus was starting to be really fond of them, and was still lost in the memories of the night before when he heard Ginji's voice calling out his name.

"Cadmus-san? Did you hear me?" Ginji asked.

Cadmus smiled. "I'm sorry. I was just thinking of last night," He admitted.

"What? Don't tell me you regret what we did, because I sure as hell don't," Ban remarked, then chewed on a piece of sausage with renewed gusto.

"Neither do I, Cadmus-san!" Ginji flashed him a brilliant smile, and relapsed into hurried speech. "Anyway, I was just talking about going back to Shinjuku, since it has been a long time since we've left this place. You're the only one who can take us back there, and I think that our friends might be worried that we've left them for a long time. I miss taking retrieval missions... even though we have no need for money for now. Ah, I know! You can go with us during the retrieving missions, and we'll be the new Get Backers, ne Ban-chan? It would be so exciting! I hope you can take us there, and maybe we can introduce you to our friends!"

Cadmus thought it over carefully, examining their hopeful faces. He finally relented.

"Oh, alright. Why the hell not."

"Really?" Ban was surprised, he had been expecting Cadmus to want to keep them in his mansion for a while longer before venturing out with them just like that. Ginji whooped in joy and punched a fist into the air.

"Yes, really. Now, quick, put your coats on before I change my mind."


	10. Chapter 10

**Title:** Blood of the Snake

**By: **retroelectric

**Warnings:** Mature themes, Vampirism, Horror/Supernatural, Yaoi, Alternate Universe

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the characters from Get Backers. This is a Get Backers fan fiction, ideas purely fan-made speculations based off the relationship between the Get Backers duo and infused with several elements inspired – and not stolen off the Vampire Chronicles Universe by Anne Rice. It is also important to note that this does not contain ANY of her characters, thus this is strictly NOT a Vampire Chronicles/Get Backers crossover. In this way I do not breach any of Anne Rice's policies regarding fan fiction on her work.

**Chapter 10**

* * *

It was just like Natsumi to notice something was amiss with Paul, the cafe owner.

Paul was getting progressively morose as each day passed. He clicked his tongue in irritation at her more often than before. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat whilst an unlit cigarette hung from his mouth and he often gazed expectantly at the entrance of the Honky Tonk each time the tiny bell rung. If Natsumi didn't know any better, she would have thought him worried for the Get Backers.

Gazing at Ban's precious coveted mug, she remembered their conversation a week ago when she noticed that Ban and Ginji haven't arrived at the Honky Tonk for their customary and free coffee.

"Ne, Master... where is Ban-san and Ginji-san? Why haven't they come for their morning coffee? The cafe is so quiet without them..."

Paul had jerked his head away from Natsumi's questioning look as though he was nervous. He began to speak in mumbled tones. "While you weren't here last night, they told me they had a retrieving mission away from Tokyo. Something about retrieving a painting for a rich client, I think."

"Really?" Natsumi said interestedly, putting the rag down. "Where?"

"In Hokkaido."

"Wow! That's good, right, Master? They will finally find the money to pay off their tab!"

Paul nodded. "Yes, Natsumi-chan, now go and serve that customer over there." He'd deadpanned with a note of finality in his voice, pointing to the black-clad customer in one of the booths. She moved over to him with an uncomfortable feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach, and it wasn't from the fact that she had to go and take the order from Akabane, the feared Transporter.

Natsumi had wanted to ask Paul about why the Ms. Ladybug was still parked behind Honky Tonk if they were going to Hokkaido for a mission. She knew that Ban-san was quite devoted to his precious car, and wouldn't just leave it behind Paul's cafe if he and Ginji were going to Hokkaido. She could also not forget that most of their cases usually came from Hevn, but the buxomly woman hadn't been around lately. But she heard Paul's order, and proceeded to serve the dangerous man with the usual cheery smile on her face.

She missed the lively and rowdy presence of the Get Backers. When Hevn came to the Honky Tonk the third day they'd been missing with a job in tow, Natsumi knew something was definitely wrong.

"Hey, Get Backers! I have somethi-" Hevn paused and frowned mid-greeting. "Wait a minute, where are they?"

"Hokkaido," Paul stated.

"Hokkaido?" Hevn questioned, a look of disbelief on her face. "What are they doing there?"

_So the mission the Get Backers had wasn't from Hevn-san, _Natsumi thought.

"They're on a mission, of course. To retrieve a painting."

"Oh - I see," Hevn managed to choke out a reply, sitting down in one of the booths. She couldn't believe her ears! If this continued, she'd lose her job as a negotiator! "Yes, I see it... Natsumi-chan, one coffee done the usual way, please."

"Hai." Natsumi poured a cup of coffee and placed it in front of her.

"Thanks," Hevn murmured, sipping carefully on the coffee. "Natsumi-chan?" Hevn said questioningly as she saw the young girl sat in front of her.

"Hevn-san, I think there's something going on with Master. He is hiding things about Ban-san and Ginji-san," Natsumi whispered worriedly, twiddling her thumbs together.

"What do you mean, Natsumi-chan?"

"Master seems agitated when I ask him more about their mission. And their missions mostly come from you, right? Their car is also parked behind this cafe... if they really are in Hokkaido, they would take their car along with them, ne, Hevn-san?"

"They didn't take their car?" Hevn asked, pausing thoughtfully before taking another sip. "Must be a rich client, then."

"Hevn-san, don't you see anything odd about it?" Natsumi was going frantic trying to convince the negotiator. "They left all of a sudden, and Master is being so secretive about them! I didn't even get to say goodbye to them!"

"What's odd about it? They're only gone for three days, I assure you they'd be back by tomorrow but with no money in hand." Hevn assured the panicking girl, patting her wringing hands. Then the busty woman had sipped the last of her lukewarm coffee and had rushed off in a hurry, bidding goodbye to Natsumi and Paul.

_I hope they're alright, _Natsumi prayed silently.

* * *

"--The client is willing to pay both of you 2 million yen each." Hevn finished, looking at Shido and Kazuki for a nod of agreement.

"We'll take it." Shido said, then paused. "But how come Snake Bastard and Ginji aren't the ones taking this case?"

"They're in Hokkaido now doing a retrieving mission, so I was unable to contact them. Anyway, Natsumi-chan was getting worried for them since they haven't been back for 3 days, and just because they didn't take their car." Hevn shrugged, as though the information wasn't really vital to them. "As for me, I don't see what's so odd about it... The client must be a rich one! Well, maybe you'd bump into them in the course of the mission later on." She checked her watch, and got up with a wink. "See you, and good luck!"

Shido watched as Hevn retreated into the distance. "Kazuki, what do you think?"

Kazuki frowned as he recounted the negotiator's words. "It does seem very strange to me. After we complete our mission, let's stop by Honky Tonk to ask Natsumi-chan more about it. What we can do now is to complete our mission as fast as possible."

Shido nodded, and the both of them took off, the seeds of doubt already planted in their minds.

* * *

A week had passed, and Natsumi was growing more and more frantic thinking of Ban and Ginji's long disappearance. The swelling pit of dread and worry grew wider each time she thought of them. She missed their lively presence, and she knew that despite Paul's nagging about their ever-growing tab - he did, too.

Unbeknownst to her, the duo that she had worried over the whole week had already arrived in Shinjuku, accompanied by a long-haired blond male; just a distance away from the Honky Tonk.

"I still don't get how you do it," Ginji spoke shakily as he kneaded his eyes with his fingers.

"I fly, of course," Cadmus answered airily, and grinned mischievously at Ginji.

"Okay, okay, enough figuring out how we got here. Weren't you the one who suggested we go back here, Ginji? You should be happy we're finally out of the mansion grounds." Ban said, mirth evident in his features.

"Yes, I know that, but-" Ginji protested, but halted for a moment. "Hey, where did Cadmus-san go? He was just beside you, Ban-chan... I didn't see him move!"

"He's feeding, and he's right over there." Ban pointed out to Cadmus who was a few metres away from them, feeding from a middle-aged man who was unconscious and limp in his arms. The both of them moved over to Cadmus just before he had dropped the dead body to the ground with a dull thud.

"It's kind of scary-" Ginji muttered.

"Hey, Cadmus, would you like Ginji to electrocute him to ashes for you?" Ban added jokingly.

"Ban-chan!" Ginji admonished, frowning at his chuckling partner. Cadmus chuckled as well.

"I'm afraid I don't need electricity of any kind to dispose of dead bodies, cherub." A hint of amusement could be heard from his voice. "I simply think that I want to dispose of it-" he snapped his fingers, "-and the deed is done."

Ban and Ginji looked to the now missing form of the dead body. "Neat," Ginji was impressed.

The trio walked to the Honky Tonk, arguing amiably and Cadmus felt right at home basking in the cool night breeze and the company of the Get Backers.

"Is that even possible, Ban-chan? Turning a dead body to ashes with my electricity?" Ginji asked, fascinated.

"Of course it could be possible, but the thing is, you're too wimpy to try it!" Ban said, hiding a smirk as he knew that the statement would hit a nerve.

Ginji bristled. "Hey! I am not wimpy, Ban-chan! I might not have your 200 kg grip but I can still fry your ass any time I want!"

"Right you can, eel," Ban laughed, giving Ginji an affectionate noogie. Ginji yelped in surprise as Ban thoroughly messed up his hair.

"That hurts, Ban-chan..." Ginji pouted, rubbing his head. His voice lowered to a wicked whisper. "...At least I'm not the one whom Cadmus calls 'cherub'..."

"Shut up, Ginji!" Ban bonked him on the head for it.

"Now, now, cherub, there is no need to get angry over that..." Cadmus started in an attempt to placate the duo. "Ginji, don't make fun of Ban or I'll call you... baby."

Ginji gasped. "You wouldn't!"

"Yes, I would... baby." Ban barked out in laughter.

Ginji gave a short indignant scream at that. "Cadmus-san!!"

"Yeah, baby?" Cadmus answered innocently, a smile playing on his lips.

"Baby... ha ha!" Ban got out in between his bouts of laughter. "That's even worse than cherub!"

"Ban-chan..." Ginji's electricity crackled menacingly around him as his partner continued to laugh. Cadmus had to laugh at that.

Their loud and distinctive voices carried out into the Honky Tonk as they neared the cafe. Paul hardly believed his eyes as the familiar outlines of the Get Backers approached, and they stepped into the cafe wearing big grins on their faces.

They looked different; more polished. Gone were Ban's trademark four-tailed shirt and his purple glasses, and Ginji's green vest and khaki shorts which made him look like an oversized boy. In place were elegant silk shirts and form fitting pants, and the lack of Ban's usual glasses made his midnight blue eyes look more vivid.

"Hello, Master! Natsumi-chan! Long time no see!" Ginji cried out happily, hugging the teenage girl. "I've missed both of you so much!" Natsumi felt stunned as a fine-dressed Ginji lifted her in his excitement.

"Yoh, Paul." Ban acknowledged the cafe owner, walking more sedately and sat down on a stool at the bar, an unknown silk-clad blond man following behind him.

"This is Cadmus Baptiste, Paul," Ban gestured to Cadmus who was seated next to him. His eyebrows were arched as though underlying a meaning behind his words. "And Cadmus, this is Paul."

Paul nodded at the pale man who smiled enigmatically in return, and tried to hide the shock he felt as he registered the information. Cadmus Baptiste... wasn't that the vampire that had attacked Ban? What was Ban thinking, bringing in a vampire into his cafe just like that? And how come Ban had placed a hand on the vampire's, as though suggesting that they were more than familiar with each other?

"Ban, you have a lot to explain to me." Paul stated, pouring coffee into Ban's usual mug.

"I know."

The bell on the door chimed, announcing the presence of more customers. "Shido-nii! Kazu-chan!" Ginji exclaimed excitedly, startling both Ban and Paul and moving over to the pair who had just walked in. Natsumi, still partially stunned upon seeing the Get Backers, belatedly noticed the pale blond man beside Ban. Who was he?

Her questioning thoughts were interrupted by Ginji's loud giggles as he enveloped them both in his infamous bear hugs and Cadmus chuckled at his antics.

"Is he always throwing himself around like this?" Cadmus whispered, thoroughly amused.

"Sure is." Ban shrugged, sipping his coffee and watching the scene before him in interest.

"Where have you been, Ginji-san? Natsumi-chan was quite worried for you the whole week, if I'm right," Kazuki asked, smiling softly and sitting down in a booth beside Shido, Ginji seated across him. Shido eyed Ban and the strangely pale man beside him suspiciously.

"Who's that man beside Snake Bastard?" Shido interrupted right before Ginji could say anything to Kazuki.

Ginji froze up for a moment before speaking hesitatingly. "Oh, that is Cadmus-san, a-a client, yes, a client. He-We're living with him; Ban-chan and I," Ginji nodded to himself.

"A client, eh?" Shido asked, lifting an eyebrow.

Ban sensed something unpleasant was about to happen when he noticed Shido speaking to Ginji. He gestured to Cadmus to follow and moved over to the booth. "What seems to be the problem here, Monkey Tamer?" Ban said, looming over them, the pale blond man standing beside him. Shido's animal senses suddenly caught a strong whiff of fresh blood coming from the man. Shido ignored Ban's probing question and looked up, locking eyes with Cadmus.

"Why are you here, Mr. Client?" Shido asked in a gruff voice.

The man smiled enigmatically. "I'm sure Ginji told you my name, and that is Cadmus. Nice to meet you." He offered a hand, but it was ignored as Shido eyed the man critically, the scent of blood rolling off him in waves. The pale man continued, unaffected by Shido's iciness. "I'm here because I'm with the Get Backers, of course. I'm their new addition." Kazuki looked at Ginji's blushing face in obvious surprise, and Shido frowned upon hearing that.

Kazuki saw the conversation heading somewhere unpleasant, and instantly tried to cover up the awkward pause that Cadmus had brought up with his statement.

"So, Cadmus-sama, whatever the Get Backers had retrieved for you must have been very expensive for you to reward them with a place to stay, and for them to allow you to work with them," Kazuki offered amiably, giving a pleasant smile to the tall man before him.

"It certainly was," Cadmus agreed, absentmindedly picking at the collar of his red silk shirt then finally looking at Ban with a slight smile. "Cherub, I'm leaving it up to you and Ginji to explain everything to your friends here." Ban nodded and sat down beside Ginji.

'Cherub?' Shido thought, frowning. 'Snake Bastard actually let someone call him _cherub_? There is something very wrong here, and I am going to find out what it is.'

"Ok, so spill." Shido said, gesturing for Ginji to continue where he'd left before his interruption.

"Y-Yeah. So a week ago, Cadmus-san approached us for a job to retrieve something for him. He offered us 6 million yen for it. Ban-chan and I learned our lesson from last time we managed to get a deal like that, so we accepted it. After completing it, he talked to us about joining the Get Backers, and we both accepted and here we are now!" Ginji forced a laugh.

Ban nodded. "Oh, and he's a rich client that enjoyed our services a lot so he gave us a place to stay as well," He said, a secretive smile tugging on his lips.

"Yeah, we're living with him now in a mansion in Iri-"

"Hokkaido." Ban interrupted, glaring pointedly at Ginji.

"H-Hai," Ginji said nervously, avoiding his eyes and fidgeting.

"That's good, isn't it?" Natsumi said cheerily, serving all of them their coffee. "Now, you can pay off your tabs to Master!"

"Leave that to Cadmus, he'll settle it for us. He gives away money like it's water," Ban spoke, gesturing offhandedly to Cadmus, who was now talking to Paul, presumably about their tab.

"That explains the clothes," Kazuki mentioned thoughtfully.

"Is there something... you are not telling us, Ginji?" Shido asked, frowning at Ginji's nervousness.

"Stuff it, Monkey Tamer. Ginji will tell you at his own pace." Ban growled, standing up and half-dragging Ginji with him to. He stomped over to the bar where Cadmus and Paul were, and the vampire flashed a megawatt grin, carefully hiding his long fangs.

"What?" Ban asked, confusion etched on his face.

"Your tab is settled. Quite a sum you've piled up, haven't you?" Cadmus said, still grinning.

"Wow! Really? Thank you, Cadmus-san!" Ginji bounded over to Cadmus excitedly and gave him an innocent peck on the lips. Ban only looked at them with a haughty smirk, not doing anything to stop it. Shido felt his nerves grate unpleasantly upon seeing that.

"Well, we gotta go, Paul. See you again, and maybe when these brats are not here-" Ban pointed in the direction of Shido and Kazuki, "-I'll tell you everything you want to know."

The three silk-clad men left, leaving all of them in the cafe stunned.

Ban laughed. "Did you see their faces? Especially the Monkey Tamer's? He looked like he had been punched!"

"That wasn't nice, Ban-chan," Ginji murmured dubiously, though he smiled a little hearing Ban's infectious laugh.

"Who cares about being nice to those bastards. You and Cadmus are all I need." Ban said, trailing a finger down Ginji's arm. Ginji blushed, attempting to swat his hands away.

"I was thinking, Ban, Ginji," Cadmus said thoughtfully, "That we stay here for a couple of nights. What do you think?" He suggested. "And maybe even take on a retrieval mission, just the three of us. What do you say, to a new era of the Get Backers? Now that there's a new addition - me - you'd be virtually indestructible!"

"That's a very good idea, Cadmus," Ban agreed after a few moments. "Right, Ginji? And for once, we don't have to retrieve for money!"

"Yeah!" Ginji nodded enthusiastically. "Though we'd have to take our missions only at night."

"Mm, that aside, let's go book a hotel and crash for the day."


	11. Chapter 11

**Title:** Blood of the Snake

**By:** retroelectric

**Warnings:** Mature themes, Vampirism, Horror/Supernatural, Yaoi, Alternate Universe

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the characters from Get Backers. This is a Get Backers fan fiction, ideas purely fan-made speculations based off the relationship between the Get Backers duo and infused with several elements inspired – and not stolen off the Vampire Chronicles Universe by Anne Rice. It is also important to note that this does not contain ANY of her characters, thus this is strictly NOT a Vampire Chronicles/Get Backers crossover. In this way I do not breach any of Anne Rice's policies regarding fan fiction on her work.

**Chapter 11**

* * *

"Cadmus-san?" Ginji prodded Cadmus on his side unrelentingly, who was currently draped all over Ban's dozing frame on the hotel sofa.

"Mnnmgh..." Cadmus groaned out in reply, his face buried in Ban's tousled hair.

"I know that you are feeling comfortable with Ban-chan and all, but-" Ginji scrunched up his face in part-excitement, part-irritation, "Aren't we supposed to go out and get a job from Hevn-san?!" He went over to poke both Ban and Cadmus to wake them both up. "Oi, get up! Both of you!"

Ban cracked open one lazy blue eye. "You're too noisy, eel. What can I do to make you shut up for a while?" He promptly tightened his embrace around Cadmus.

"Now, now, cherub, that doesn't sound very nice," the vampire admonished and finally pried Ban's strong arms away from around him without much effort. "Ginji here has a point - and we have all day to rest now, don't we?"

Ban growled but sat up, rubbing his eyes to rid himself of the sleepy sensation he felt. "Fine. I need a damn coffee, by the way. Living with a vampire has got my internal clocks all messed up now." The last sentence was mumbled, but Cadmus smiled a bit as he managed to catch it nonetheless.

Ginji cheered, and sparked a few bolts of his excess electricity into the air. "That's okay, Ban-chan! We can get coffee from the Honky Tonk while waiting for Hevn-san to show up! Besides, you can clear things up with Master if there is time!"

Ban grimaced upon hearing Ginji's cheery words; the last thing he wanted to be reminded of was that he still owed Paul an explanation for the past week. Cadmus saw the grimace, and mistook it for worry. "Hey, Ban, it's not going to be so bad, isn't it - explaining to the old guy? Anytime you feel like you can't say anymore, just tell me. I'm the best when it comes to addling minds, you know." He grinned, patting Ban on his shoulder.

Ban laughed, standing up to switch off the lights and putting on a tweed coat. "That's a bit ironic coming from you, isn't that? You're over three centuries old yet you call Paul an old guy... And thanks, I guess, for the reminder. About the mind addling thing."

"You're welcome, cherub."

Ban growled again as he heard the affectionate term coming from the vampire's lips. "Cherub, _cherub_... how come you keep calling me cherub, and not Ginji? I mean, I look older than he does, right?" He grumbled as Cadmus closed the door behind them. Ban finally noticed that Ginji just seemed to sparkle and glow, his body overflowing with excess electricity. "Oi Ginji, control yourself! You don't want Cadmus to have to pay for your exploding light bulbs now, do you?"

Cadmus laughed as Ginji zapped Ban a little with his electricity in retaliation. "Watch what you're touching, eel!"

"Sorry, Ban-chan! It's just that I'm so excited, and it has been so long since we've been on a mission!" Ginji sing-songed, grinning from ear to ear as the trio stepped into the elevator.

"Well, Cadmus?" Ban looked at him pointedly, and he belatedly realised that Ban was still waiting for a reply to his earlier question.

"Well, technically -- you _are_ younger than Ginji." Cadmus stated, meeting Ban's indignant eyes.

"How did you know that?" Ban mumbled, as he noticed the heat behind Cadmus's stare but he couldn't look away.

Cadmus broke away suddenly from his intense gaze and spoke offhandedly. "I saw your driver's license the other day."

"Driver's license?" Ginji asked, finally remembering something important. "Ne, Ban-chan! We forgot all about our car! Where is it now? How are we supposed to go on missions if our car got towed away? Or worse... what if it got piled into a junkyard?" Ginji wailed, clutching Ban's shoulders and shaking him, involuntarily letting loose a few jolts of electricity.

Ban swatted away the electricity-emitting hands from his shoulders. "Ow! Stop overreacting, Ginji! I'm sure Paul knows something, and besides... we could always use Cadmus's handy flying powers." He smirked at Cadmus as they stepped out of the hotel.

"Cherub, you must remember that I'm not some car."

"Right..." Ban muttered distractedly as he took out his cell phone and began to text Hevn the negotiator.

_The invincible Midou Ban-sama here, got any jobs? We'll be at the Honky Tonk around 8, see you there._

A few seconds later, his cell phone beeped signaling there was a message.

_Where have you guys been the past week?! I'm here now. A big job waiting for you!_

"Hevn's already there," Ban told Ginji, walking at a brisker pace. "She's already got a job for us."

"Yatta!" Ginji cheered again, and broke into an excited run towards Honky Tonk. "Come on, Ban-chan, Cadmus-san!" Ban growled at Ginji's enthusiasm, but followed in Ginji's lead nonetheless.

Cadmus only grinned deviously as he scooped both Ban and Ginji up in his arms, earning him an excited cry of glee from the latter and another low growl from Ban. Before the duo knew it, they had already arrived in front of the Honky Tonk.

As he released the Get Backers from his hold, Cadmus grinned cockily as he noticed Ban's dumbfounded expression. "You... you... How...?" Ban managed to get out, not noticing Ginji who had already entered the cafe.

"Shouldn't you be used to it already, cherub? Of course I ran here, like our beloved Ginji had suggested." Cadmus grinned cockily, flashing a hint of fang at Ban as he went into the cafe, Ban following stiffly behind him. It was large displays of vampiric power like these from Cadmus that unnerved Ban greatly, and this was an example of it. It even seemed like he teleported them over to the cafe; that was how quick he moved.

"Hey, Ban-kun! Nice to see you again!" Hevn said from behind an armful of an overly-excited Ginji. She was about to add something else when she coloured noticeably, her eyes falling onto the well-dressed handsome blond stranger beside a similarly well-dressed Ban.

Ban oddly enough wasn't wearing his usual purple glasses and four-tailed shirt. No, to be more precise - Ginji and him looked far different than usual. She wriggled free from Ginji's enthusiastic embrace (which was something quite admirable) to greet him.

"And who's this?" Hevn purred, moving closer to the pale man, puffing her generous chest out even more. Ban frowned in poorly-concealed disgust at Hevn's attempt of seducing Cadmus.

"Cadmus," the vampire replied smoothly, extending a hand politely. "You must be Hevn, I presume? I've heard a lot about you from Ban and Ginji."

Hevn reached out to shake Cadmus's hand, but recoiled suddenly even before she fully touched the whole of his hand. "Your hands..." she gasped. They were cold as ice!

Cadmus smiled indifferently as Hevn recoiled. "Yes? What's the matter?"

"N-Nothing," She choked out, not noticing the smug grin Ban had on his face. Ban called out his order for a coffee to Natsumi, who gladly proceeded to do so. He purposely wound an arm around closely Cadmus's waist, eliciting a small gasp from the buxomly woman before him.

"Shall we?" Ban smirked arrogantly at a dumbfounded Hevn, gesturing to a booth. Hevn nodded slightly, her cheeks colouring a little at the implication Ban's gesture made. It was just like Ban to provoke Hevn in this way! And she thought that she'd had a chance... But, again, what was with that man's hands? They were so cold...

Ginji had calmed down a little and sat down beside Hevn, Ban and Cadmus sitting across them. Ban had slung an arm around Cadmus's shoulder, holding him far too close for comfort as Hevn noted and his elegant fingers were playing with Cadmus's fine white blond hair. _And Cadmus doesn't even seem to mind! What are they, boyfriends or something? And I thought that Ban would one way or another end up with Ginji! Or maybe, they are involved in some kind of threesome or something?_ Hevn thought, unwanted mental images coming through her head.

Ban smirked triumphantly at the expression on Hevn's face, and spoke to break the tension. "So, Hevn, what's the case?" He nodded at Natsumi dismissively who had served him his coffee.

"Oh, uh, right." Hevn fumbled with her handbag for a moment, then she extracted an unlabeled bottle of pills and placed them on the table.

"What is that, Hevn-san?" Ginji asked.

"This is a drug called Nimetazepam. It is a legal drug which was originally used to treat insomnia, but as it is with most drugs like this, it was abused and it became a sort of substitute to Ecstasy." Ban nodded, he knew about it.

"A large batch, which was going to be sold legally, was stolen from the client by a notorious drug dealer who currently resides in Mugenjou's Lower Town. He goes by the name of 'Tenma'. The client, who wants to remain anonymous, wants to add that this Tenma character is currently out of control from MakubeX, and you probably would have known this had you been here the past week. The fee this time is 4 million yen." She explained.

"Feh. The money isn't very important to us now, anyway. We're accepting this mission. We'll be in and out of the rat-hole with the drug before the night is over... You'll see." Ban said cockily, gulping down the rest of his coffee.

"W-Wait a minute... I haven't told you of this! 'Tenma' has employed several protectors and transporters to aid him, and I have a feeling this isn't a normal mission, it could be dangerous for the both of you even with your powers!" Hevn exclaimed.

Ban smiled at Cadmus, stroking his cheek affectionately. Hevn refused to let the ugly head of jealousy rear its head in front of them at the sight of it. "Who said anything about the two of us? With Cadmus here, anything is possible!" Ban directed his haughty smirk to a startled Hevn.

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is that Cadmus is the new Get Backer!" Ban enthused, accompanied with Ginji's megawatt grin. Hevn looked at the dark-haired male before her curiously like he'd sprouted an extra limb or something.

"Seriously?" Hevn wondered aloud. What the hell had happened the past week that had changed the duo she'd known so well, so drastically?

She barely reacted as Ginji leaped from his seat, and Ban patted her on the shoulder as he stood up, moving over to the counter. There were some last things to clarify with the cafe owner, like where his car could be for instance.

"Ah, Paul? Do you know anything about my car?" Ban asked the cafe owner, his elbows propped against the counter.

"It's parked behind this cafe. Here." Paul tossed a key at Ban, who was stunned as he caught it.

"Where did this come from?" Ban said wonderingly, staring at the key.

"It's a duplicate. Remember? You gave it to me a year ago."

"Heh." Ban smirked as he remembered the incident. "Thanks Paul. I owe you one. Come on, Cadmus, Ginji. Remember, Hevn - before the night is over!" He gestured to his partners, and the three of them exited through the back.

Hevn stared after them as the trio exited, stunned.


	12. Chapter 12

Title: Blood of the Snake

**By:** retroelectric

**Warnings: **Mature themes, Vampirism, Horror/Supernatural, Yaoi, Alternate Universe

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the characters from Get Backers. This is a Get Backers fan fiction, ideas purely fan-made speculations based off the relationship between the Get Backers duo and infused with several elements inspired – and not stolen off the Vampire Chronicles Universe by Anne Rice. It is also important to note that this does not contain ANY of her characters, thus this is strictly NOT a Vampire Chronicles/Get Backers crossover. In this way I do not breach any of Anne Rice's policies regarding fan fiction on her work.

**Chapter 12**

* * *

"Stupid bitch," Ban muttered as the three of them approached his familiar car. "I hope she chokes on coffee and dies."

"Ban-chan..." Ginji said warningly, frowning at Ban's harsh words. "That's so bad of you to wish death on Hevn-san! What if it comes true?"

"Then I'd be the happiest man in the world." Ban groused out angrily, opening the doors of the car and slipping into the driver's seat. He closed the door behind him with more force than needed. "Honestly! Provoking Cadmus like that, thrusting her big fat boobs into his face... who does she think she is?!"

Cadmus laughed as he stepped into the back seat, Ginji doing the same and closing the door behind him. Ban revved up the car, sighing softly upon hearing the familiar purr of the engines. It had only been a week since he last drove his car, but he had quite missed it.

"It didn't even affect me that much, Ban," Cadmus said in an attempt to placate the hot-headed male as he drove to Mugenjou.

"It affected _me_, you bloodsucker!" Ban growled, gripping the steering wheel harder than he needed to as he made a sharp turn.

Ginji noticed it and whispered something into Cadmus's ear, and the two blond men promptly burst out laughing. Upon hearing that, Ban sped up dangerously, fully intending to make their way to the Infinite Castle as soon as possible, and also to get away from the loud snickers his two blond companions were making.

The car ride was fortunately, a short one and soon enough they had arrived. "Get out, before I lock the two of you in the car!" Ban barked, and they promptly dissolved into giggles once again. "Damn childish brats!" He shook a fist at them.

When Ginji and Cadmus had calmed down from their bouts of laughter, Ban growled out an instruction. "Now could you two brats please turn around so I can hide this car without you staring?"

Despite giving dumbfounded looks to the Jagan Master, they proceeded to do so. Once Ban was satisfied that they weren't looking, he slid his eyes closed in concentration, murmuring a concealing incantation under his breath and directing it to his precious car. He didn't want the obnoxious police to give his car a ticket; he'd had enough of that nonsense.

He smirked as the car vanished from sight, and walked over briskly to the entrance of Mugenjou.

"Well?" Ban spoke pointedly, gesturing for Ginji to lead.

"H-How did you... Ban-chan?" Ginji asked when he caught up and stared at Ban's stoic face, confused at the car's sudden absence. The mysterious smile on Cadmus's face unnerved Ban greatly. He shook his head, hoping the feeling that Cadmus knew more than he let on would fade away as he promptly replied to Ginji's question.

"Magic, of course. Now do you want to lead or not? We haven't got much time to waste!"

"Right, Ban-chan," Ginji spoke distractedly as he walked, finally stopping after some time at the front of a familiar metal door which was the entrance to the Lower Town and opened it. He took on a defensive stance, half-expecting a sudden attack from the unknown opposition this time, but there was none.

"Eh?" Ginji wondered aloud, but shrugged. "Ban-chan, Cadmus-san, let's go to MakubeX for more information about 'Tenma', shall we?"

"That's a pretty good idea. Yeah, let's."

The three of them were surprisingly quiet and somber as they walked. The dark and damp tunnels that led the way to MakubeX's headquarters were mysteriously empty and devoid of resistance of any kind. _Maybe the computer boy has sensed our presence through his cameras and intends not to harm us,_ Ban realised. But what was with this defeaning silence, the total lack of life that was very unlikely in such a place that was Mugenjou?

"There's something wrong with this place," Cadmus commented as he walked on. "I cannot seem to hear or sense any mortal presence."

"Or they could be hiding," Ban replied and gave a curt nod to the vampire. He promptly stopped as a large door mysteriously appeared in the distance. He recognised the door, having seen it a few times before and approached it, grinning. "Hey, Ginji, it looks like computer boy is giving us a shortcut."

True enough, as the three of them entered, the first thing they noticed was the customary darkness of MakubeX's headquarters and the dim light coming from the screens of the many computers. The teenage boy was seated in front of his computers, typing away conscientiously.

"Welcome back, Ginji-san, Ban-san!" The boy king waved, tossing his head to look before resuming his work. He didn't seem to notice Cadmus lurking closely behind.

Before Ginji could reply, Ban interrupted him. "So, MakubeX, we're on a mission to retrieve stolen drugs from a drug dealer in the Lower Town called Tenma. Do you have any clues to where this person could be?" Ban asked, getting straight to the point.

"Tenma? So you finally came to rid us of that nuisance, dakkanya-san. Everything you need to know is there-" MakubeX pointed to a furiously scribble-covered map to his side, "-so good luck I suppose."

"Now look computer boy, we aren't your lackeys who come to do your dirty work, alright?" Ban growled upon hearing MakubeX's dismissive sentence. "But thanks for the guide, anyway." Ban gave a brief nod and gestured to Ginji to take the map. It was strange how relaxed and complacent MakubeX was being even though there were people under him getting drugs from this drug dealer... Wasn't he supposed to get things like that under control? There was something odd about this whole affair, what with the noted absence of the rest of the VOLTS members around the computer boy. Where the hell were his lackeys like Miracle Whip and Samurai Boy? He knew it was already past midnight, but surely, that Sakura girl should be staying with MakubeX to keep him safe.

"See you again, MakubeX!" Ginji said cheerily, handing over the map to Ban and oblivious to Ban's calculating frown. Ginji patted the teenager on the shoulder. He followed closely behind Ban and Cadmus as they set off.

Ban studied the map and the two little crosses which marked where they were currently at, and where Tenma was supposed to be respectively. So the druggie bastard was only two stories above them, they only had to make a few turns here and there and walk through a couple of empty spaces before reaching there, and retrieve the drugs. Bingo. The job was looking out to be too easy, Ban even thought of canceling the mission with Hevn and requesting for a more challenging job. The thought was instantly brushed off as he looked at Ginji's eager face.

"Hey you two, I think I know where our dear Tenma is." He traced the path on the map that they should take in order to reach their destination.

"That's excellent, cherub. But now I believe we have company."

Ban was startled, and he whirled around to see Cadmus was gone. In a blink of an eye, it seemed, Cadmus had flashed across the tunnel and had a familiar-looking man by the throat. Baring his long and vicious teeth that made him look horribly inhuman, Cadmus raised him easily with one hand, and the blind man writhed about in shock and fear, his legs kicking aimlessly in the air. _Wait a minute_, that was Samurai Boy wasn't it? Ban was about to say something, to tell him to let go, but...

"Who are you?" Cadmus spoke, his usually rich voice taking on an eerieness which made Ban freeze. Ban's voice was stuck in his throat upon hearing that eerie tone of voice. He tensed, and instead of moving, he watched the exchange between the two, fascinated.

"R-Raitei... H-Help me..." The man wheezed pitifully in between painful gasps of breath.

"J-Juubei? Cadmus-san!" Ginji said frantically, moving forward quickly to pry Cadmus's immortal hands from his old friend's throat, finally recognising the voice as Kazuki's protector. "I know him! Put him down! Please!"

Cadmus raised an eyebrow, and promptly loosened his grip on the blind man before Ginji could come over. Juubei crumpled to the ground, his hands shaky as he moved to pierce a needle in an acupuncture spot, simultaneously healing the ugly blue bruise which had formed on the skin of his neck. Ginji rushed forward to Juubei, still panicking.

"Juubei? Are you okay? Can you stand?"

Juubei nodded as he stood up with aid from Ginji. "Yes, I am fine, Raitei." He raised sightless eyes to where Ginji's voice was heard. "What was that thing which attacked me?"

"I'm sorry, Juubei... t-that was my friend, Cadmus-san. He didn't know you were not the enemy... I'm so sorry!" Ginji apologised, growing progressively worried as he noted the silence coming from Juubei.

"It's okay, Ginji, I don't blame you." He gave a small smile and brushed off the dirt from his clothes unconsciously. The needle-user seemed to grow more wary of his surroundings even though he couldn't see anything. "Not the enemy? What do you mean?"

"Oh, me, Ban-chan and Cadmus-san are on a retrieval mission to retrieve some drugs from a person called Tenma." Ginji said, pausing. "Wait a minute, do you know anything about it?"

"I know that they're situated near the Beltline. That's all," Juubei said, moving away from the Get Backers and his mysterious attacker. How was it possible that he couldn't sense any presence before the attack came? "I have to go back to MakubeX's headquarters. See you again, Raitei." He bowed to Ginji and promptly walked off.

"That was weird... Ne, Ban-chan, Juubei isn't hurt, is he?" Ginji asked, staring after Juubei's retreating back.

"He isn't hurt, he's hiding something from us." Ban said thoughtfully, his mind replaying the incident once again. "Well, samurai boy said that it's near the Beltline, so we have to be careful. Anyway, thanks Cadmus for looking out for us. Even if you got the wrong guy." He grinned at the vampire. Cadmus said nothing. His averted his eyes away from Ginji's questioning face.

Ban brushed off Cadmus's lack of response, and moved forward, gesturing for his two partners to follow. "Like I said, we have no time to lose."

The unusual silence fell over them again as the trio walked towards their destination. Ban stuffed the map into the pocket of his tweed coat; he'd already memorised the path that they should take. After a few moments of walking, they came across another large metal door and Ginji was about to open it, only to be stopped by Cadmus's voice.

"Wait, Ginji." Ginji paused, his hand still on the knob and he looked up at Cadmus's pale face in askance. "Let's make no more mistakes. I can sense the presence of a man and a woman. From their thoughts I know that the woman is called Kudo Himiko, and her companion is called Akabane Kuroudo. They seem to be the Transporters that Ms. Hevn seemed to be talking about, seeing as the man is holding the case filled with the drugs. His thoughts are disjointed and messy, and it doesn't make any sense, but the woman's thoughts do make sense... She's thinking about getting this job over and done with." Cadmus abruptly stopped in his dialogue, and frowned. "Ah. They've got company. Three men, to be exact, and they are shouting at that man called Akabane to hand over the drugs."

Without a hitch, Ginji pushed the door open, startling Ban even before he could come up with a plan to intercept the Transporters.

"G-Ginji! What are you doing?!" Ban hissed, but the damage was already done.

Akabane, Himiko and the three unknown men turned to look at the intruders. Akabane had a scalpel in one hand, aimed dangerously at one of the men's throat. Himiko looked confused as she recognised the Get Backers and the handsome, but unknown pale man beside them, and she was momentarily startled as Akabane began to speak.

"Well, well, what do we have here? The Get Backers, with a new addition... Someone, whom I believe, I have never met." Akabane tipped his large black hat in greeting, and retracted the scalpel back into his body. He stepped forward, and left the case with the drugs in it on the ground.

As Akabane had expected, the man whom he had nearly killed lurched forward to grab the case. Before he could lay a finger on it, however, the man stopped dead in his tracks, his hands outstretched but strangely, he was unmoving. He resembled an awkward statue in that pose, life-like and somewhat morbid. Akabane was dumbfounded as to why the man had stopped so abruptly. He stared a little longer at the frozen man, and then at Cadmus interestedly.

"I must say, this is a very interesting turn of events." He gestured offhandedly to the immobilized man behind him. His lips curved into a smile as he offered a gloved hand to Cadmus. "My name is Akabane Kuroudo. And you are...?"

Cadmus flashed a momentary glimpse of fang as he grinned, extending his hand and shaking Akabane's. He heard Akabane's almost inaudible breath hitch in his throat upon feeling the iciness in his hand which permeated through the leather, and his touch lingered a bit longer as Cadmus leaned in. Much more of that disjointed thinking. Cadmus blocked it out effectively; it was starting to make him feel dizzy. Only Ginji's and that dark-skinned girl's thoughts are left; for some reason he could never hear what Ban was thinking.

"Please, call me Cadmus," Cadmus murmured right into Akabane's ear, his icy breath caressing the skin of his earlobe. He smirked upon feeling a tiny shiver coming from the black-clad Transporter, and finally backed away to stand in front of Ban and Ginji and spoke in a loud, clear voice.

"We are the Get Backers, and I request that you hand those drugs over to us."

Ban protested, and glared heatedly at the back of Cadmus's white blond head. "Hey, that's my line, damn you! I'm the one who's supposed to say that!"

Ginji let loose a small giggle, electricity crackling and glowing even brighter around his body in excitement. "Ban-chan? Can I? Pleeease?" He turned shining puppy-dog eyes to his lover, and Ban relented, sighing and rolling his eyes.

"Fine, go on; fry their asses. But don't touch Himiko or I'll kill you."

Ginji whooped and leaped into action. He gave a little war cry and rushed forward, grabbing the two unknown men by the shoulder. He released his pent-up electrical energy into their bodies, making the both of them scream in pain and shock before fainting from the strong energy. The acidic smell of burnt hair filled the air.

"Gomen, but you two seemed to be evil and scary and I just had to use my electricity on someone!" Ginji smiled down sheepishly and sympathetically at the two smoking bodies. His body seemed to crackle with even more electricity even though he'd already used the attack without restraints.

_What is this?_Himiko thought, staring at the great display of power and the sudden realisation at how odd the situation was. _I have never seen him releasing this much power before. That other time – it didn't even come close to this! Ban doesn't even seem to mind! What if he turns into that dreaded Raitei? And that blond guy... who is he? He seems to look at Ginji with pride instead of fear or something. It's like deja vu – he seems to act like that Kagami creep, only he is much more pale. Oh my God, he's looking at me!_

Cadmus smirked at Himiko as he heard her frantic thoughts, and saw a momentary glimpse of that white-clad person named Kagami. He glanced at the frozen man still immobilised under his power and sighed inaudibly as he raised a palm and incinerated him to ashes.

The man's scream which followed was a short one, but Cadmus had long since closed off his preternatural hearing of mortal screams as he killed them.

"What the hell..." Himiko whispered aloud, her eyes wide with poorly-concealed fear as the unknown man turned into ashes. She should be thankful, but she couldn't help the dreaded feeling building in the pit of her stomach. Whatwas this guy's power? Was it the ability to control fire?

She remembered that flame-throwing woman who was smitten with Raitei. She had fought with her in one of the missions involving Mugenjou... but that psychotic woman at least had visible fire around her, and it made it easier for her to fight, somewhat. This was different, that pale man seemed to be much more dangerous than her. She doubted her Poison Perfumes would be as effective now if he were to attack her.

Akabane's eyes narrowed slightly as he saw the ashes blowing across the concrete ground, and directed his gaze to Cadmus. "This is very fascinating." Akabane hummed, and tapped his chin in wonderment. "You are a very interesting person indeed, Cadmus-kun. I wonder if you are from the Upper Levels, Babylon City? If it is, I certainly haven't heard of you before."

Cadmus gave an open-mouth smile, showing a vicious hint of fang. Himiko recoiled, finally noticing the danger that represented. "I have never heard of Mugenjou nor its infamous Babylon City before meeting my dear Ginji and Ban. Besides," Cadmus went forward, and Akabane never could see that quick movement when he reappeared right beside him, "I am a child of the 17th century Greece, and I only went to Japan in the late 19th century."

Cadmus let the momentary hint of surprise slide onto Akabane's face for a moment, before staring deep into his similarly violet-coloured eyes and clouded the mind of the dangerous Transporter. _Forget this meeting ever happened. Forget that you ever met me. Ginji was the one who turned that man into ashes. Ban stole the drugs and they got away. _

Upon seeing Akabane's glassy-eyed distraction with Cadmus, Ginji ran to the case and tucked it safely underneath his arm. "Let's go, Ban-chan, Cadmus-san! See you again, Himiko-chan! "

Akabane slid down to his knees, still in the stupor that Cadmus's poweful vampiric spell had on him. Himiko saw this and was visibly frightened. She gave a momentary glance at the ashes on the ground and the two seemingly dead men, and she knew she had to leave.

"Wait, Ban!" Himiko screamed out to Ban's retreating back in fear. "Ban! Take me with you!"

Ban stopped and turned to look at Himiko. "I would, but I can't. You can find the way out for yourself, can you?" Ban smirked. "I suggest you do that now, you wouldn't want to deal with a pissed-off Akabane when he recovers." He left a startled Himiko, leaving the metal door open in his haste.

The three Get Backers ran down the flight of stairs without meeting any form of resistance from the opposition. The case of drugs was still tucked underneath Ginji's arm safely, and he was smiling widely despite seeing the frightening display of power from his vampire lover.

"Cadmus-san, you were amazing!" Ginji cried out, managing to envelop Cadmus in a smothering hug despite the fact that they were still running. "For once, I didn't have to fight that scary Akabane-san! I think I lov--"

Cadmus stopped, suddenly clamping a hand on Ginji's mouth, stifling his loud and exuberant cries of affection. Ginji made a sound of protest at the back of his throat and a frown, but stilled when Cadmus whispered quietly into his ear.

"There are more of them below us, Ginji. There are around five of them, so let's avoid fighting them for now." Cadmus gestured to Ban to listen in. "Ban, I need you to put that invisibility charm on the three of us, similar to that you've put on the car. Hurry, we need to be quick, it's near dawn."

Ban frowned at the news but nodded as he obeyed Cadmus's instruction. He slid his eyes closed in concentration, and murmured the incantation softly under his breath. A purple beam of energy emanated from Ban's right arm, and it quickly ensconced them three safely, making them invisible to all but each other.

"Done." Ban smirked, lacing an arm each around Ginji and Cadmus's shoulder and answering both of their questioning looks upon contact. "I must have a hold on each of you, or else the spell will be broken."

"Control your breathing and walk with no sound. We cannot be found by those weaklings," Cadmus whispered to his mortal partners, and they readily obeyed.

In no time at all, they had reached the first floor where their unknown opponents were. Ginji let loose a weak gasp as he recognised a face in the otherwise foreign group. He clamped a hand on his mouth to stifle the sound.

Juubei had his black needles out, and he seemed to be hearing out for any foreign footsteps, ready to attack. Cadmus probed around in his mind, looking out for clues as to why the blind man would be there. Rooting around his mind, he abruptly stopped in his tracks as he came across a startling realisation. It appeared that this friend of Ginji's... was a _drug user_? He was sent by that drug dealer called Tenma to receive the drugs from the Transporters.

"Why'd you stop?!" Ban hissed angrily but quietly, pulling Cadmus and Ginji on. "We have to go like you said!"

Cadmus regained his bearings and tightened his hold around the Get Backers. "We have to run. I'll tell you why later."

Ban and Ginji nodded at the suggestion. Cadmus sped off soundlessly, and he opened the same door as they had entered behind Juubei with one thought. Flying black needles missed them completely as Cadmus brought them swiftly away from the group. The vampire finally stopped as they approached the familiar space where Ban had hidden their car, and Ban released the two blond men, finally terminating the invisibility spell.

"Care to explain what that was about?" Ban growled, impatiently waving his hand in an intricate motion and making the hidden car appear.

"Your friend Juubei is working for Tenma, Ginji. Did you know anything about that? The group was waiting for the Transporters to arrive with their drugs. He is a drug addict."

"W-What? Juubei wouldn't do that!" Ginji looked at Cadmus with wide, disbelieving eyes.

"Sometimes we don't know what the people closest to us are capable of." Cadmus looked at Ban meaningfully, and continued. Ban brushed off the gloomy feeling he felt creeping into his mind.

"Listen, both of you. I can't stay at the hotel. I have to go now, but I have a very important favour to ask of. After you send off the drugs to Hevn, I want you to go back to the hotel, and get some rest." Cadmus threw the hotel keys to Ginji, who caught it. "After that, do take the retrieving money in the day and buy food for yourselves, and remember, don't come and find me, because you won't." Cadmus rifled through the pocket of his black coat, and removed a credit card from his wallet, handing it to Ban. "Now this is the important part. Take this and purchase a coffin, preferably one that would fit me, under the pretense that your father has recently passed away. The price doesn't matter. I need it urgently."

Tiny slivers of the orange sun sneaked its way through the dark and hazy clouds. Cadmus went forward, and placed a short but affectionate kiss on each of their lips. "Goodbye, Ginji, Ban," He whispered. In an instant, Cadmus had disappeared into the darkness of the early morning, leaving the Get Backers alone with their car.


	13. Chapter 13

**Title:** Blood of the Snake

**By:** retroelectric

**Warnings:**Mature themes, Vampirism, Horror/Supernatural, Yaoi, Alternate Universe

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the characters from Get Backers. This is a Get Backers fan fiction, ideas purely fan-made speculations based off the relationship between the Get Backers duo and infused with several elements inspired – and not stolen off the Vampire Chronicles Universe by Anne Rice. It is also important to note that this does not contain ANY of her characters, thus this is strictly NOT a Vampire Chronicles/Get Backers crossover. In this way I do not breach any of Anne Rice's policies regarding fan fiction on her work.

**Chapter 13**

* * *

The minute gleam of sunlight peeking its way through the dark, pre-dawn clouds never failed to set Cadmus's ancient, immortal heart beating faster than usual, sending him into a state of hateful claustrophobia.

Even though the fair-haired vampire knew he was powerful enough to stand a few strong rays of the sun and not turn to ashes, he still felt the gloomy tug of fear coagulating deep in the pit of his immortal body. It was that deep-set fear of the unknown; of hurt, pain and death that set the feeling free and he loathed every single time it happened.

He was extremely thankful for Ban's steadfastness, and his easy compliance in using his powers to conceal them three to avoid fighting the group earlier on. If they had wasted even a minute of time with that, Cadmus would have punched and cracked the pavement with his powerful hands in desperation and dig himself his own resting place for the day beneath the concrete itself. He didn't have any intention of revealing such horrid weakness in front of his mortal companions, so he opted to run away from them. It was easier for all of them.

The concrete jungle which surrounded Cadmus loomed over him like a deadly spectre, and he used his immortal hands like a spade to dig deep into the thankfully soft ground. He felt his limbs grow weaker by the minute as the sun began its slow and monumental demonic rising, and the fear of getting burnt hastened his already weakened limbs to move faster.

The dirt got underneath his glass-like fingernails and some of it went into his open mouth as he struggled for breath. _This should be deep enough,_ Cadmus hoped, making the upturned dirt cover him with one single thought. The forgivingly cool soil covered his body and hid him carefully away from the burning rays of the sun.

As he lay buried deep in the ground, his breathing grew still and he succumbed to the comforting death sleep, his iridescent violet eyes closing. His last thoughts were of Ban and Ginji.

* * *

"What's wrong, Ginji?"

Ginji was startled out of his reverie upon hearing Ban's voice. He gave a small, sheepish smile and shook his head, before lapsing back to staring aimlessly out of the window. He was contemplating Cadmus's rushed disappearance, and the odd request of a coffin for himself.

"Ginji, you know you can ask me anything," Ban pressed on, frowning at Ginji's unusual pensiveness, before turning to the familiar street near the Honky Tonk.

The electric-wielder turned his eyes away from the scenery beyond the car window to meet Ban's hypnotic blue.

"Ban-chan... Is Cadmus-san going to be okay?" Ginji whispered, his voice cracking.

Ban gave a rare sincere smile and rested his free hand on top of Ginji's. "You know he is, Ginji. He's a vampire, after all."

"Then where did he go, Ban-chan? Why can't he stay with us? I want him to be with us, always..."

Ban turned off the car engine and stretched the best he could given the small space of the car. He let out a long yawn, before answering in a bored tone of voice.

"I want him to be with us too, but... Geez, Ginji, don't you know anything? Like I said, Cadmus is a vampire; a creature of the night, and he will die if he gets exposure to sunlight. He's not a normal human being like the rest of us. Didn't you notice that there are no windows in his mansion back then? The hotel isn't safe for him yet. That's why he needs a coffin. He is one of the 'undead' after all."

Ginji was silent as he digested the information. A grimace must have sneaked its way into his face because Ban placed a tiny kiss on the corner of his mouth, still smiling sincerely. Ginji shook his head again.

"I don't know, Ban-chan... I just feel like something bad is going to happen to Cadmus-san."

"Worry about Cadmus later. I have my own feeling that Cadmus will be alright no matter what happens. Let's hand the drugs over to Hevn, then go do the things he's asked us to do." Ban said, opening the car doors and stepping out, Ginji following closely behind him.

The first thing Ginji saw as he stepped into the cafe was Paul, nursing a cup of coffee. The cafe was surprisingly empty, and even before Ban could open his mouth to ask about Hevn's whereabouts, Paul interrupted him.

"Natsumi-chan and Hevn are both resting upstairs. Natsumi doesn't have school today, and Hevn couldn't keep awake even if she wanted to." Paul said, peering at the silk-clad duo from behind his dark glasses. Ban and Ginji moved towards the staircase leading to the spare room upstairs, but Paul interrupted them. "Before you go, you must remember that you owe me an explanation. There is no one to listen in to us right now."

Ginji nodded. "He's right, Ban-chan, you shouldn't put it off anymore."

Ban sighed, finally admitting defeat. He went over to the bar and sat on a stool, requesting a cup of coffee before kneading the skin around his eyes. Ginji did the same and placed the case of drugs on the counter.

"Where do I start?" Ban muttered, lacing his long fingers around his warm mug, inhaling the aromatic scent of coffee deeply.

"Well, you can start with what happened the night after you were attacked," Paul pointed out. "You and Ginji disappeared without a trace. I had to lie about your whereabouts to the rest of them. And... I was also starting to think both of you had died or something."

"That bad, huh?" Ban gave a knowing smirk to Paul, sipping his coffee languorously. He shrugged, avoiding Paul's gaze. "Well, Cadmus apologized for attacking me and decided to make up for it by giving us a place to stay. That part is true. We accepted, of course. He brought us to Iriomote, where his hidden mansion was located. Lots of stuff happened, and when Ginji asked Cadmus about returning back to civilisation, he agreed. And here were are."

"Is that all?" Paul questioned suspiciously, lifting an eyebrow. "How come you, of all people, are so willing to take up residence with a vampire? And what stuff happened?"

A tense moment passed between then both before Ban broke it by grinning viciously. "Curiosity killed the cat, you know." Paul raised his eyebrow even higher if possible, prompting Ban to elaborate. "Well, if you really want to know... Cadmus, Ginji and I hooked up. We're together - as in a _threesome_. Lovers, if you want to put it that way."

"I shouldn't have asked," Paul managed to choke out, after staring at Ban and Ginji for the longest time, as though they had sprouted extra heads. "Is it wise, Ban? That Cadmus is a vampire, after all! You might not know what you are getting yourselves into."

"I might know things that even Cadmus _never_ knew of his kind." Ban replied airily, emphasizing his point with a pointed stare and sending Paul into confusion at the Jagan Master's implication. What was Ban talking about? Paul was momentarily startled as Ban set his empty mug down and stood up from his seat. "We can take care of ourselves, Paul. Don't worry about us. C'mon Ginji, we have lots to do." Ban remarked, setting off for the stairs. Ginji dutifully followed behind, shooting Paul an apologetic smile, the silver case in hand.

Ban turned the knob of the unlocked door quietly as soon he reached it. Hevn and Natsumi lay side by side on the queen-sized bed, the blond woman's unusually relaxed face half-covered by the thin blanket. Ban smiled fondly at the sleeping negotiator and lightly shook her awake.

"Hevn... wake up."

Hevn opened one bleary golden-coloured eye, and through her slightly blurred vision saw Ban and Ginji standing over her. She sat up, rubbing her eyes in a childish manner which made Ban smile. She brushed the hair away from her eyes, blinking up at them. Ginji grinned triumphantly and raised the silver case for Hevn to see.

"What?" Hevn yawned.

"Here are the drugs. We'll come and collect the fees later tonight." Ban said softly so as not to wake Natsumi. When Hevn raised her eyebrows at his odd statement - Ban and Ginji _always_ requested their money to be given right after they'd completed a mission! - Ban spoke again, gesturing for Hevn to not say anything.

"Hevn, listen. We have other things to do now. I want you to send the drugs off to the client as quickly as possible, then I want you to contact Kazuki and Monkey Trainer and ask them to meet us here around nine or so. It has something to do with Mugenjou and that Samurai Boy. Tell them it's something important."

Hevn nodded, taking the proffered case from Ginji. Ban and Ginji walked to the door. Ginji's hand had touched the doorknob and he was about to exit when Hevn's voice stopped him. "Where are you guys going now?"

"To buy a coffin!"

Hevn's mouth fell open and she stared wildly at the duo. "...Who died?"

"No one. Bye Hevn." Ban said forcefully, glaring at Ginji and pushed them both out of the door.

"Damn it, Ginji! You aren't supposed to go around saying things like that!" Ban hissed once they were well clear of Hevn.

"But she-" A warning glare.

"See you again, Paul." Ban loudly interrupted Ginji's excuse, waving slightly at the cafe owner as they exited.

"Ban-chan, she asked! Why can't I tell the truth? She's our friend, you know!" Ginji whined as he entered the familiar space of the car once again.

"How do you think she'd react if she knew what Cadmus really was?" Ban sighed, feeling considerably weary all of a sudden as he drove back to the hotel.

Ginji racked his brains for a moment. "Eh... that... I don't really know. How would she react, Ban-chan?"

"She'd be scared to death of him, Ginji. She'd think he would be out to suck her blood and kill her. Vampires like him... Many people think of them as portents of death, and nothing else. We must pretend for the moment that Cadmus is human, or else people would be out to kill him if they knew of his true nature." Ban replied quietly.

"Why, Ban-chan? Vampires like Cadmus have feelings too, why would people want to kill them...?" Ginji questioned, feeling confused.

"The same reason why those Europeans killed witches in the Middle Ages... fear."

Ginji immediately understood Ban's meaning, and he conveniently remembered that Ban's ancestors were those witches themselves. He looked at his partner's stoic expression, and nodded grimly, understanding.

"I understand, Ban-chan. I won't tell anyone what Cadmus really is."

"Aa."

The rest of the journey was spent in their usual companionable silence. Not long after, they arrived at the hotel. Ban turned off the engines, and smiled helpfully at his blond partner. "If you're hungry, Ginji, call for room service."

Ginji nodded as they stepped out of the car. He looked on curiously as Ban closed his eyes and murmured something under his breath, making the car disappear mysteriously out of sight. He realised that this was the same thing Ban had done in front of Mugenjou a few hours ago. Then something ticked at the back of his brain.

"Ban-chan..."

"Shut up, Ginji."

"Ban-chan! Let me speak! How come you never did this before? You could have hidden the car away from the police and saved us paying money for the fines! We could have used it for food instead!" Ginji complained as they walked the short distance to the entrance of the expensive hotel.

"I said shut up, Ginji."

"You're so mean!" He pouted as Ban ignored him. The dark-haired male slipped a hand into his tweed coat pocket, retrieving several large bills and handing it to the shocked bellboy indifferently.

Ginji fumed silently as he entered the elevator with Ban. The door closed and began its slow ascent. He was so engrossed in his thoughts that he felt momentarily startled as a pair of soft lips grazed his own, and stared at Ban's face questioningly.

"I'm sorry, Ginji."

He was so startled by the short contact and his softly-spoken words, that he didn't realise that Ban had pulled the key from his own coat and opened the suite door for them. He locked the door behind him absentmindedly and only stared after Ban as the dark-haired male kicked off his shoes, removed his coat, then his silk shirt and his dark pants, lazily leaving them on the floor.

Ban collapsed heavily onto the bed and covered his half-clothed body with the covers.

_Now where was I?_ Ban thought, as he closed his eyes and found peace.


	14. Chapter 14

**Title:** Blood of the Snake

**By:** retroelectric

**Warnings:**Mature themes, Vampirism, Horror/Supernatural, Yaoi, Alternate Universe

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the characters from Get Backers. This is a Get Backers fan fiction, ideas purely fan-made speculations based off the relationship between the Get Backers duo and infused with several elements inspired – and not stolen off the Vampire Chronicles Universe by Anne Rice. It is also important to note that this does not contain ANY of her characters, thus this is strictly NOT a Vampire Chronicles/Get Backers crossover. In this way I do not breach any of Anne Rice's policies regarding fan fiction on her work.

**Chapter 14**

* * *

Ginji watched the soft lines of Ban's relaxed face as he dozed underneath the thick covers.

The blond-haired boy glanced momentarily at the phone, contemplating calling for room service as Ban had suggested. He finally decided that he wouldn't since he felt tired more than he was hungry.

He sat down slowly on the bed opposite Ban's and rested his forehead on his palms, and sighed, the very picture of a man troubled and dejected.

The truth was that he was finally absorbing all that had happened the past week. He was happy, yes, ecstatic, even – but there was a certain melancholy in realising just how much the singular presence of Cadmus changed everything. Indirectly, it seemed, Cadmus even changed the relationship between him and Ban.

He shook his head, smiling slightly at the thought. No, Cadmus acted more like a catalyst – the night he attacked Ban caused both of them to pause and think of where their relationship was headed. Why wait any longer to have what was right before you? Death may come at any point of time, and time does not wait for any mortal. It was that kiss in Paul's apartment that sped things up, and made them both take one daring step further.

Ginji was eternally thankful to Cadmus for taking both Ban and himself off the streets and showering them with luxury that he'd never dreamed of having. Only a week had passed, but after all that luxury Ginji couldn't even imagine sleeping in the Ladybug anymore.

Despite having hurt Ban once, Ginji knew that the fair-haired vampire wouldn't even think of doing that to either of them now at this point in time. What were those unseen emotions that Cadmus felt for them at this very moment in their lives? Could they only be passing fancies to Cadmus like the old gardener had suggested? Or could it be something deeper - love, maybe? That little he could hope.

The lightning-wielder berated himself for feeling that pang of loss in his heart thinking of Cadmus. Why did it hurt so much knowing Cadmus wasn't near him? Ginji knew the unshakable love he felt for Ban couldn't match - was it love? - the feelings he had for Cadmus; he's known and loved Ban for longer.

With Ban, it was rough possessive caresses and the wholeness, the complete quality he felt when they were together. But with Cadmus, he could be compliant or demanding according to his mood. Either way, Cadmus was simply intoxicating the way he was. Having these two men as his lovers made him feel like the luckiest man on Earth. Loved, treasured, cherished.

Ginji finally lay back onto the bed and kicked off his shoes. For once, he was not snuggled up close to his partners. He remembered what he was about to say back then in Mugenjou after Cadmus had clouded the mind of Akabane, and they were about to make their escape.

"I think I love you."

Had Cadmus not covered his mouth with his palm halfway through, he would've completed that honest outburst. Ginji didn't care if anyone wanted to kill him because of admitting something as simple as love for another man. He wouldn't die so easily anyway. He stared up at the ceiling, images of Cadmus and Ban flitting through his mind. His heart clenched painfully once more as the loss impacted him in the chest fully, and a lone tear fell from his tightly closed eyes.

Those thoughts lulled him to a sleep before he even realised it.

"Ginji, wake up."

The distant voice and a strong hand shaking him hard awoke him from a deep sleep he hadn't noticed he had fallen into. He opened his adorably bleary chocolate-brown eyes and saw the hazy figure of Ban, fully-dressed, looming over him. His angular face was back to his usual expressionlessness and no longer had the uncharacteristic sad look in his eyes a couple of hours earlier. Ginji noticed all this as he lifted his protesting body off the bed.

He opened the bathroom door with more force than necessary and stumbled over to the marble sink. _Yes,_ he subconsciously thought, _I know, we have to go buy Cadmus-san's coffin then meet Kazu-chan and Shido. To discuss about the matter of Juubei. Discuss, discuss. What a silly word,_ Ginji mused sleepily, feeling irritated as he splashed water onto his face to refresh himself. He grabbed a nearby towel and rubbed his face with it vigorously.

He looked up once he heard Ban enter the large bathroom. Ban shoved a dark red shirt into Ginji's arm, and answered Ginji's unspoken question. "Your clothes are crumpled, Ginji. You shouldn't have slept in them. Silk is delicate, y'know. Put that on."

Ginji nodded absently. He unbuttoned the rumpled shirt he'd slept in slowly. In his still-sleepy daze, Ginji was oblivious to Ban's audible swallow upon seeing the taut muscles of Ginji's torso revealed. Ginji was about to put on the fresh shirt when something solid pressed against his whole body.

Before Ban knew what he was doing, he had Ginji pushed up against the bathroom counter and was licking hotly at Ginji's lips. Ginji made a sound at the back of his throat and was about to protest, when Ban snuck his tongue into Ginji's open mouth and rendered him compliant. Ginji involuntarily responded, leaning into the fiery kiss. The blond boy noticed that Ban didn't flinch when he let loose several strong sparks of electricity.

Ginji only regained himself when he felt a hand encircling his waist and another attempting to unbuckle the belt. He wriggled away from Ban but found himself unable to escape from Ban's hungry ministrations. He supposed Ban thought the muffled sounds he was making were encouraging him to take things further, but in truth he didn't want to. Sure, it felt good, but it felt like by doing this with only Ban, he was betraying Cadmus or something.

Ban was still kissing him hungrily, and Ginji was still attempting to wriggle away from Ban's grasp. Ginji felt Ban's hard member poking through his pants, and he knew he just had to stop this before anything happened. The Jagan Master somehow managed to unbuckle the belt in between the little space between his body and Ginji's. He was about to unzip his pants and fully unclothe Ginji, when a strong jolt of electricity from Ginji's hand on his shoulder shook him out of his lust-clouded mind.

He ripped his mouth away from Ginji's and managed to give a heated glare which would have cowed any other person. But this way Ginji, and he only smiled apologetically. "Oi Ginji, baka! What was that for?!" Ban growled, giving a hurt look at his blond partner.

Ginji pushed Ban away and retrieved the shirt he was about to put on from the floor. "Gomen ne, Ban-chan," Ginji said sweetly, buttoning up his shirt. "It's not that I don't want to do it with you. I just wanted to get all the stuff done on time! And I'm hungry..." Ginji moaned, clutching his growling stomach and looking at Ban with dewy eyes. He could feel Ban unfurling from Ginji's expression. "You know that when I'm hungry I'm not in the mood for... well, you know."

Ban hmphed, but conceded nonetheless. He backed away and went into the bedroom, picking up the fallen tweed coat on the ground. "Okay, I get it." Ban grumbled as he put on the coat with the demeanor of a child who had just been refused ice cream for dessert. Ginji followed behind Ban and offered the grumpy dark-haired male a hug. Ban patted Ginji's shoulder stiffly before moving for the door. "Since it's only half past ten, I bet the shop which sells the coffin is still not open yet." Ban turned to face Ginji with a devious smirk. "So where do you want to have breakfast? This hotel? Honky Tonk? Or do you want it to be a surprise?"

Ginji sparkled happily at Ban's playful suggestion. "A surprise? You know I like surprises, Ban-chan!" Ban abandoned all pretenses and smiled at his electric partner, the heavy mood between them transforming to a lighthearted one. Ban gestured at Ginji to wait at the lift as he locked the door behind him.

Ban tipped a different bellboy generously, the pimply-faced teenager blustering upon having several large bills shoved at him. Ginji was about to comment about Ban's sudden generosity when the dark-haired male grasped his hand and held him close, causing him to blush silently as he pulled Ginji along.

Ban noticed several odd looks aimed at the both of them as they walked along the streets. Of course, who wouldn't stare; two well-dressed young men with attention-grabbing hair, holding hands? Ban only held his head high, a proud smirk playing on his lips. Who cared if people had something to say about them? He'd become impervious to such stares; it was part and parcel of being noticed as a retriever, going round town promoting their services to the public.

After a few minutes' walk, they finally arrived at the Western-styled restaurant. Ban finally released Ginji's hand as they sat down. Ginji stared as Ban almost automatically grabbed the menu and trailed a finger down the list of breakfast items on the menu.

Ban felt Ginji's stare as he perused the menu. He looked up, and met Ginji's eyes, a smile quirking his lips. "What? Aren't you hungry?"

Ginji nodded and returned Ban's smile with a half-grimace. Ban noticed it, but let the incident slide as he gestured for the waiter.

* * *

"That was amazing!"Ginji exclaimed, patted his full stomach contentedly. Ban nodded his agreement. The breakfast had been delicious indeed. The duo now walked the distance to a quieter street. Being more acquainted with this area than Ginji was, Ban knew there was a shop providing substantial funeral service. He was confident that he would find the required coffin for Cadmus there.

"There it is," Ban said, pointing the shop to Ginji triumphantly and dragging Ginji by the arm.

The yawning man behind the counter looked surprised as the duo entered the shop. "Welcome. How may I help you, sirs?"

"Yes, we're looking for a coffin for a deceased friend of ours. We'd like to see the line of models available, so we can make a selection, since we need it by tonight." Ban replied smoothly.

The man stared bewildered at the two richly-dressed men and balked at the request, but he recollected himself soon enough. "Y-Yes, sir." He stood up, leading the way to the second floor. "Is it just the coffin that you need?"

Ban lied with the panache of a master. "Yes. We've already arranged everything beforehand, but there was a complication with the delivery of the coffin. Rather last minute, you see."

The man nodded, understanding. "Okay. What kind of wood would you like, sir? The traditional kind – cypress, sugi? Or would you prefer the imported, more expensive ones instead? We have several from France and Italy."

"Imported," Ban stated. "What kind of wood?"

"O-Oh, we have rosewood, mahogany and oak. How tall was your friend?" The man asked, showing them the array of coffins on the second floor.

"Hm, he was approximately six foot tall," Ban said, tapping his chin thoughtfully. _Mahogany? _"I'd like to see the ones made of mahogany."

The man showed them. Ban glanced at the silk interior and the price tag, and decided that the price was reasonable enough. He was sure Cadmus would be pleased with this purchase. "A bit plain, but it will do. Yes, we'll take this one." Ban shrugged. The man nodded, moving to a table with several paraphernalia and sat behind it. He gestured for Ban and Ginji to sit down on the two chairs. "We'd like to have it delivered to a hotel we're staying at, if that could be arranged?"

"Yes, sir. What method of payment? Cash, or...?"

Ban fished out Cadmus's credit card from the pocket of the tweed jacket. Ban recited the address, the man dutifully taking it down before making the necessary deductions from the card. After several minutes, the man asked a last question. "Do you need it today, Mr..." He began, gesturing for Ban's name.

"Midou. Yes, we do need it today and we'll pay extra if you would send it by 8 pm."

The man nodded furiously again. "That can be arranged. Thank you Midou-sama for your patronage." The man stood up, handing him a receipt before bowing before them. The bow was returned by Ginji, who then waved cheerily as they took the stairs down.


	15. Chapter 15

**Title:** Blood of the Snake

**By:** retroelectric

**Warnings: **Mature themes, Vampirism, Horror/Supernatural, Yaoi, Alternate Universe

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the characters from Get Backers. This is a Get Backers fan fiction, ideas purely fan-made speculations based off the relationship between the Get Backers duo and infused with several elements inspired – and not stolen off the Vampire Chronicles Universe by Anne Rice. It is also important to note that this does not contain ANY of her characters, thus this is strictly NOT a Vampire Chronicles/Get Backers crossover. In this way I do not breach any of Anne Rice's policies regarding fan fiction on her work.

**Chapter 15**

* * *

The cellphone beeped in Ban's pocket as they walked on the quiet street. Flipping it open, Ban saw that there was a text message from Hevn.

_Kazuki and Shido agreed to meet – see you both at the Honky Tonk at 2pm sharp._

He smirked and turned to face his partner. "Ne, Ginji, it looks like we've gotten ourselves busy tonight."

Ginji blinked owlishly and Ban automatically answered Ginji's impending question. "Means we're going back to that junkyard later on with itomaki and Monkey Tamer. Geez."

After walking on for a few minutes, Ginji halted mid-step, and slapped his own mouth with his palm, causing Ban to stop and look at Ginji concernedly. "Ginji?" Ban asked, frowning at Ginji's sudden pensiveness and the uncharacteristic way his skin turned slightly green.

"What's wrong, Ginji?" Ban probed.

Ginji attempted to smile reassuringly at his partner, but it came out as a grimace instead. _That's the second time he's done that today,_ Ban thought. "Nothing, I'm okay, I just felt a little nauseous... Ban-chan, can we go back to the hotel?" Ginji requested in a small voice.

The dark-haired male placed a hand on Ginji's shoulder. He did look a little paler than usual, Ban noticed. "Is it really bad?" Ban asked, frowning in worry.

Ginji looked up to meet Ban's eyes and was about to say something, when his chest heaved heavily. He covered his mouth again to prevent himself from retching right then and there. Ban's eyes widened – this was serious, Ginji had never been sick before.

"Shit, Ginji!" Ban cursed, and thought hard for a solution to bring them back to the hotel room as soon as possible. It wouldn't do for Ginji to be sick all of a sudden – they had a job to do. Then it struck him.

He did remember an obscure teleportation incantation his grandmother had thought him once, but it was rather taxing on himself despite his potent blood. His grandmother had given up on him the second attempt, citing something about his age but he'd secretly attempted it several times behind the old lady's back.

There was only two occasions when he was successful despite the many number of attempts. Then again, it only brought him several metres from where he had started from. He had collapsed after several minutes from exhaustion. It drained him of his energy to the point where he had slept for 12 hours straight, and still felt overly tired afterwards.

He never attempted the charm again, fearing the consequences it would have on his body. He was powerful but he wasn't stupid.

He was ejected from his memories the instant he heard another heaving sound from his blond partner. Glancing at Ginji's progressively greening face, Ban decided to throw caution to the wind and simply do it. _Fuck the consequences,_ Ban thought, focusing on remembering the incantation from the back of his mind.

Ban extracted a small pocket knife from his coat pocket with shaky hands. "Hold me, Ginji," Ban commanded as he poised the sharp blade onto his right palm, Ginji's arm winding itself around his waist. Looking around cautiously, Ban proceeded to sink the blade into his flesh, hissing as he made a long incision across it. Ignoring the throbbing pain he felt from the flowing blood, Ban proceeded to mutter the complicated incantation under his breath, concentrating hard on the intended destination.

He focused his magic on it as translucent blue light flowed from Ban's palm and ensconced both of them safely in it. Ban recited the charm louder, the strange lilting language caressing Ginji's burning ears like cold water on hot coal.

Ban heard something snap, like bone breaking cleanly into half and he opened his eyes again as soon as he finished the last of the charm.

Ban was so stunned upon seeing the familiar space of the hotel room that he didn't even feel Ginji's arm leaving him and hear his heavy footsteps running towards the bathroom. Ginji had no time to compliment Ban on his prowess as his chest heaved painfully. He bent over the toilet bowl and vile spewed from his mouth.

_It actually worked? _Ban thought, his mind reeling from the shock and his knees feeling weak from the exertion. He slid to the ground in surprise.

Smirking proudly, he realised that he had actually been successful in using his magic for teleportation. This was quite a feat; he'd teleported hundreds of metres from the street to the hotel! Ban snapped out of his gloating upon hearing the sounds from the bathroom. Ban scrabbled to his feet and rushed over to aid his partner.

Ginji barely registered the hand thumping his back as he heaved for a second time. He wanted to cry from the pain – it felt like something was being ripped out from his chest. He gasped for breath in between the painful retching.

Finally Ginji's painful heaves began to subside and he heard Ban's voice telling him to take slow, deep breaths. He nodded slightly and stumbled over to the sink to wash his mouth, ridding himself of the sickly sour taste lingering behind.

Taking a clean towel from the rack, Ban wiped off the traces of blood from his palm. The wound had thankfully, ceased to bleed. Ban figured he'd tend to the cut later when he wasn't so tired. He felt the beginnings of lethargy starting to sink in his body, but he had enough presence to remove his coat and shirt.

Remembering Hevn's message, Ban deftly punched in a reply with unsteady fingers.

_Let's meet at 6.30 pm._

Ban flung the phone onto the dresser as soon as he sent it. Ginji had finally finished cleaning himself up and looked to Ban with a pleading expression.

"C'mere," Ban slurred fuzzily, too tired to even respond properly. It wasn't as bad as the last time, Ban realised. His eyesight was starting to go hazy and clouded and all he could see of Ginji was miles of peach-coloured skin and yellow hair. Ginji settled himself in Ban's arms as soon as he removed his red shirt.

Comforted with the thought that Ginji was finally tucked in safely, Ban succumbed to his well-needed rest followed by Ginji.

* * *

"Where the hell are they?!" Hevn said angrily, pacing back and forth along the length of the cafe. Those two had promised to meet at 6.30 in the evening, but it was nearing half past seven in a few minutes' time, Hevn ranted silently. Her patience was drawing to an end – trust_them_ to keep their promises!

"You could try calling them again," Kazuki offered, smiling softly at the negotiator. "Hmnh. Stupid snake bastard," Shido growled at the same time and tapped his foot impatiently.

"I've tried calling them for three times already, but they still aren't picking the damn phone up!" Hevn huffed, then took out her cellphone once more. "Well, it won't hurt trying one more time..." Hevn dialed Ban's number again, hoping the Jagan Master would pick the phone up.

Back at the hotel, Ban's ears prickled as he was rudely awakened from his deep sleep by the obnoxiously loud ringtone of his cellphone. He blinked several times, then pushed Ginji's arms away from him as he sat up and grappled for his phone on the dresser. Flipping the phone open, Ban cursed lightly upon seeing it was Hevn. He wondered what time it was.

"Hevn-" Ban started, his voice rough and thick with sleep.

"Oi, Ban!" Hevn practically screamed into the receiver. "Where the hell are you guys?! We've been waiting for you since forever!"

Ban's head throbbed painfully as he growled his reply. "Quit screaming, Hevn. Okay, okay, we're going there already."

Flipping the phone closed, Ban rubbed his eyes and massaged his temple to ease the pounding in his head. He shook Ginji roughly awake, and the blond boy opened his eyes groggily and managed a small smile for Ban.

"I feel like someone ripped off my throat and forgot to put it back, Ban-chan."

Ban laughed. "That's nothing compared to my being run over by a ten-tonne truck all over my head."

Ginji laughed. His Ban-chan always lightened the situation with his wry humour. Ginji tensed as he remembered what had happened several hours ago. "Ban-chan, what about your hand? Ban-chan, are you sure you're okay? You cut your hand... I'm sorry for just now-"

"Don't be sorry," Ban said tersely, putting on his shirt and running his hand through his hair to make himself look more presentable. "Forget about me. What I didn't understand was, why did _you_ of all people get sick all of a sudden?"

Ginji flushed in embarrassment and began putting on his shirt as well. "I-I don't know why myself..."

Ban hmphed, and rifled through the drawers for a first-aid kit. "It's most probably a minor stomach flu." Ban said offhandedly. Finally finding the box, Ban opened it with one hand and extracted a bandage and a safety pin. He swiftly wound it around his palm and pinned it into place with deft fingers. "Nothing a few pills can't solve," Ban shrugged.

Suddenly, he had an armful of an excitable Ginji in his arms. "What the hell, Ginji-" Ban groused, but ruffled his partner's hair nonetheless carefully masking a small smile of his own.

"Ban-chan, you're so awesome!" Ginji cried adoringly, lifting Ban in his enthusiasm. "I didn't know you could teleport using magic! Something bluish came from your hand and then, poof! We reappeared back here! I thought it only existed in cartoons and movies, like that X-Men character... eh, what's his name? Night-skipper? Night-jumper?"

"Nightcrawler, and put me down, damn it!" Ban said, pushing his blond partner away and effectively giving Ginji an affectionate noogie.

"Itai yo, Ban-chan!" Ginji pouted cutely at Ban, and rubbed at the sore spot on his head.

Ban laughed and placed a small kiss at the corner of his electric partner's mouth. "Serves you right." Ban smirked, then gave a cursory glance at the door as the bell chimed.

"Who could it be?" Ban wondered aloud, going over to the door and looking through the peephole. It was a mousy teenage boy holding a clipboard in one hand.

Ban opened the door, and shot a glare to the boy. "Yes?"

"A-Are you M-Midou-sama?" the boy squeaked nervously and began sweating.

"That's me. Is this about the delivery of the coffin?" Ban asked, smirking haughtily.

"Y-Yes, sir. Please sign here-" the boy pointed a shaky finger to a space on the paper, "And the coffin will be delivered to you shortly."

Ban looked at the paper, then to the boy, and smiled. The boy looked at him with huge scared eyes, and didn't expected the following words from Ban. "That's faster than I would expect. I'm impressed. Do you have a pen?"

The boy rifled through his trouser pockets and handed it to Ban. He signed it promptly, and shoved the clipboard back to him.

"T-Thank you for your patronage, sir," the boy squeaked, bowing and then gestured for the movers to bring the coffin into the lavish hotel room. The two heavily-muscled men carrying the coffin looked at Ban oddly when he told them to put the coffin underneath the bed. He brushed the looks off easily enough.

Soon it was all done and Ban shoved several large bills at the squeaking boy. "Here's your tip." He gestured to Ginji to get out of the room and after he did so, Ban locked the door behind him, entering the open lift.

"You do realise that we're late, do you?" Ban asked Ginji conversationally, tapping his foot against the carpeted floor of the descending lift.

"Eh? What time did you promise Hevn-san and the others?"

"6.30. You, boy," Ban barked at the teenager, looking menacingly at the nervous boy who'd gotten into the lift with them. "What time is it?"

"S-Seven t-twenty five," the boy stuttered, cowering away from Ban and Ginji, trying to hide behind the two burly movers.

"We're really, really late, Ban-chan," Ginji agreed and grinned sunnily at his partner. "Hevn-san is going to be so mad at us."

"Heh. I know." Ban smirked as they walked out of the hotel, heading towards the small space where their car was hidden.

Waving his hand in the familiar intricate motion, the invisible car reappeared again and Ban sighed softly as he entered the car, Ginji doing the same.

The short trip to the Honky Tonk was spent in companionable silence. Ban parked the car on the road opposite the cafe, smiling fondly as Ginji hopped, no less – over to the Honky Tonk. Despite having retched his guts out earlier, Ban noted, the electric eel sure still had a lot of energy left.

Ban heard Ginji gasp loudly even as he was about to enter the cafe. Opening the door, Ban finally understood why.

Cadmus was seated primly on a barstool, looking as if there was nothing unusual in his presence being there at all. In a flash of red and gold, Ginji had fluttered over to Cadmus and was hugging him tightly.

"Cadmus-san! Cadmus-san! Cadmus-san!" Ginji sing-songed happily, thoroughly clinging to the smiling vampire. The pale-haired man returned his exuberant embrace. "Where have you been, Cadmus-san?" Ginji cried, entangling himself from Cadmus to look at him with dewy eyes. "I've been so worried!"

"I was resting," Cadmus clarified softly, waving at Ban to come over. Ginji kissed the corner of Cadmus's mouth and sat down beside him, grinning from ear to ear. Meanwhile, Shido looked upon the scene in poorly-concealed disgust and Ban noticed the look as he went to sit beside Cadmus.

"Oi Monkey Tamer, did someone put some invisible dung under your nostrils to make your face look squashed up like that?" Ban said haughtily, thoroughly enjoying the anger sliding onto the Beast Master's face and gestured to the cafe owner. "Paul, two coffees please."

"Shut up, you disgusting Snake Bastard," Shido growled, glaring at the dark-haired male.

"Hnh, whatever." Ban replied disinterestedly. "What a weak insult. I'm not going to even try topping that. And Paul, got a cigarette?" The older man grumbled, but obliged nonetheless.

"Thanks." Ban took out his Zippo lighter, and lit the end of the stick. He released a cloud of smoke languidly, and began to speak.

"Yeah, so I asked Hevn to call both of you here, to update you of what's happening back in that junkyard." Ban exhaled slowly, and ignored the way Shido bristled at his cheapening of Mugenjou's name.

He continued. "Our mission yesterday was a success, but in the process we found out something about your good friend Juubei, Kazuki. It seems like he's working for Tenma. Do you know anything about it?" Ban asked, looking at Kazuki with piercing eyes.

Kazuki refused to let the Jagan Master intimidate him and looked at him straight in the eyes. "From what I know, Ban-kun, MakubeX does have problems with Tenma in the Lower Town. He has been unsuccessful in stopping his drug activities so far, but I believe MakubeX and the rest of the VOLTS have done the best that they can to stop it. But, tell me what do you mean – that Juubei is working for Tenma? I'm afraid that your statement is a bit vague for me to comprehend."

"Look, itomaki, we have to go back to Mugenjou to stop Tenma from making things in that junkyard worse, all right? Your friend for some reason or another decided to become a drug addict and go work for some coke-snorting son of a bitch. And I'm sure you want to go and save your dear Samurai Boy. So are we going back there to kick some druggies' arses or what?" Ban said forcefully, inhaling deeply then stubbing the cigarette in an ashtray.

"Ban-chan!" Ginji frowned at his partner's harsh words. Ban waved it off, opting instead to approach Hevn.

"No – it can't be..." Kazuki finally whispered hoarsely, eyes wide with the revelation from Ban. Shido patted his back comfortingly.

"Oi Hevn, where's my 4 mil?" Ban demanded of the negotiator.

"O-Oh, here." Hevn fished a thick envelope from her handbag and handed them over to a triumphant-looking Ban.

Ban sniffed the air around him as he extracted the four thick wads of cash from the envelope. "Ah, the lovely smell of fresh and crisp bank notes," he said, pocketing one stack and throwing a stack each to Cadmus, Ginji and Paul.

Paul looked at him questioningly as he caught it. "Told you the Get Backers would make it big someday, Paul." Ban smirked. "It's a token of thanks from us. You know, for sticking with us through the hard times." Tossing his head over his shoulder to glance at Kazuki and Shido, he said, "Well, are you coming or not?"

Kazuki looked up, and nodded firmly. "Yes. Come on, Shido-san."

Once they were gathered outside, Ban looked at the four men and then to his car. Shaking his head, Ban said, smirking, "No, I can't fit everyone into my car. Someone has to travel sitting on the roof or something. Preferably Monkey Tamer?"

Shido was about to growl something in response, when Cadmus spoke. "Well, Ban, Ginji can travel with me if he wants to. There'll be no need for anyone to travel sitting on the roof. It would be most uncivilized."

Ginji sparkled happily. "Wai! I'm traveling with Cadmus-san!"

Ban glared at the two blond men but relented. "Huh. Fine. Suit yourselves. Leave me with the Monkey Tamer and thread spool." He muttered, opening the doors for them. The two got into the back seat.

Cadmus waved and yelled at Ban, "Race you there!" Before Ginji could blink, the vampire had scooped him up in a quick motion and Ginji chuckled delightedly as Cadmus broke into a run.

Ban grumbled as he revved up the engine and drove, Cadmus and Ginji already fading into the darkness.


	16. Chapter 16

**Title:** Blood of the Snake, a Get Backers fanfic

**By:** retroelectric

**Warnings: **Mature themes, Vampirism, Horror/Supernatural, Strong Language, Yaoi,**Alternate Universe**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the characters from Get Backers. This is a Get Backers fan fiction, ideas purely fan-made speculations based off the relationship between the Get Backers duo and infused with several elements inspired – and not stolen off the Vampire Chronicles Universe by Anne Rice. It is also important to note that this does not contain ANY of her characters, thus this is strictly NOT a Vampire Chronicles/Get Backers crossover. In this way I do not breach any of Anne Rice's policies regarding fan fiction on her work.

**Chapter 16**

* * *

"_Verdammt!_" Ban cursed lightly in German, jumping upon feeling someone tap his shoulder.

Whirling behind to face Cadmus who was grinning at him in an infuriatingly triumphant manner, Ban glared and shook his fist threateningly. "Don't you ever do that again, you bloodsucker." Cadmus raised an eyebrow at his response, a tiny seductive glint of fang flashing from his coy smile.

"I can do whatever I want, my dear cherub."

Ban flushed slightly at the hidden implication, and raised his hands in defeat. "Hmh. Egotist," he muttered.

Ginji giggled lightly upon seeing the exchange and tugged his two lovers towards the entrance of the looming building, the Beast Master and the feminine thread weaver following in his stead. Shido stared discretely after the pale-blond haired man beside Ginji.

He didn't like his response to Ban, despite him hating the Snake Bastard. Kazuki had shot a knowing and secretive smile at Cadmus, which was duly returned by the vampire.

Unnerved by the unnatural glint in violet eyes from the man he still had yet to know more about, Kazuki looked down feeling strangely abashed as the five of them walked into Mugenjou.

"Any plans, Kazuki?" Ban said mildly, throwing a glance at him over his shoulder.

"I think it would be appropriate if we were to approach MakubeX first." Kazuki offered, and Ban nodded slightly. He nodded again to Cadmus, who had his hand on the large metal door. Cadmus heard the creak of metal as he pushed it open. His vampire eyes adjusted easily to the darkness and spotted nothing unusual around the high-ceilinged room. He was about to step inside when a sudden stab of pain in his chest stopped him.

A foreign, maniacal thought from a mortal invaded his mind.

_I've got you, intruder, now die-_

Cadmus saw that there was a small dagger sticking out of his chest. Removing it from his hard flesh with one quick movement, the pale-haired vampire spotted several more daggers flying straight at him. With little time to react, Cadmus turned his back to the unseen attacker and the daggers penetrated his body, causing him to fall down to the ground, barking loudly with laughter.

The four men looked at the daggers sticking from Cadmus's back in unconcealed horror. Kazuki covered his ears as Cadmus's laughter grew to an unbearably painful volume. The blond vampire heard the thoughts and movements of the man who had attacked him.

_What the hell is this? Why isn't he dead? Why is that man laughing at me? Stop mocking me, you son of a bitch... I'm not a fucking boy anymore! I'll go out there and kill you with my bare hands... STOP LAUGHING!_

"Foolish, that's what you are, if you want to come out here and kill me with your bare hands, you cowardly mortal," Cadmus said in a cajoling and mocking tone. He heard the man gasp silently, and Cadmus could even smell the sweat and fear emanating from the man. He almost lost himself in the spell of the mind game he was playing with him. The scent of a senseless killer's throbbing blood sang out to him.

Ginji's voice interrupted his lusty thoughts.

"C-Cadmus-san... Stop it, you're scaring me," Ginji whispered, staring at the many daggers sticking from Cadmus's back.

"Oi Cadmus, you okay?" Ban said, frowning at the still vampire.

Cadmus turned to them and smiled uncharacteristically. "Yes. I'll be okay if someone helps me to remove all those damned knives from my back."

Ban helped Cadmus remove the bloody daggers, flinging them to the ground. "Thank you, Ban."

Cadmus couldn't bear to look at Ban or anyone else; the blood lust he felt brewing in his ageless body was multiplying by the tenfold. He sidled up to the man who had attempted to kill him in one quick, unseen movement. Finally getting a view of his attacker, Cadmus took in the delicate features of the young man – cropped auburn hair and large fearful green eyes and the sweat pooling down his delicate, swan-like neck.

"Pity, you're just a boy," Cadmus sighed into the skin of the boy's neck. He felt him shiver from the contact of his cold breath onto his skin, and he couldn't think for a moment as his sharp teeth pierced the jugular and warm blood gushed into his mouth.

The boy's heart pumped his blood frantically into the open, bleeding vein. Red clouded his vision as Cadmus heard the boy's heartbeat cease slowly, and he ripped his fanged mouth away from the neck before his heart stopped beating.

The dead body fell to the ground with a sick thud, and the next thing Cadmus knew through his lust-hazed mind was that Shido had him pinned against the wall, his hands pressed hard against his throat.

"You son of a bitch!" Shido snarled. "Why did you go and kill a boy, you murderer?!"

Cadmus laughed and felt Shido bristle at this. "And you'll find the reason why I did it by killing me in return, Shido-kun?"

Cadmus didn't need to push Shido away as he saw Ban ripping the larger man off himself with one forceful movement.

"Don't fucking _touch_ him, Monkey Tamer!"

"So what? He's a monster, Snake Bastard! He killed a boy in cold blood! I don't know how he did it, but-" Shido glared at Ban heatedly. "Of course. You monsters must stick together, right? And go freakin' kill weaker people together!"

Ban's right hand thrummed angrily and his heart clenched as he heard the hurtful words from the Beast Master. Was that still true? Ban wondered. Was he still a despicable monster?

"_You're_ the freakin' son of a bitch-" Ban snarled heatedly, his right hand poised to hurt Shido with its gripping force.



"STOP IT!" Ginji yelled, and everyone stopped in their tracks and turned to stare at him. Electricity crackled menacingly around his body. Ginji's normally sweet face had hardened, and his chocolate brown eyes were narrowed.

"Shido-nii," Ginji looked at Shido with the hard expression which reminded him of Raitei, "You shouldn't assume such bad things about Cadmus-san! He is not a murderer! Please don't go hurting people who I LOVE!" Everybody looked surprised at his outburst, and Ginji continued, aiming his hard glare at his dark-haired partner. "And Ban-chan! I know you're protective over Cadmus-san and all, but there's no need to hurt ANYONE about it! He can take care of himself! You should know this better than anyone else!"

Everyone was silent. Even Shido had the decency to look abashed.

Kazuki was the first to break the silence. "Please forgive Shido-kun for his slip of emotion, Ginji-san," He said, smiling slightly and bowed. "Let's forget about what happened. We have other important things to do now, don't we?"

Ginji nodded, smiling brightly as though he didn't have an angry outburst just a few minutes earlier. "Yes, Kazu-chan. Let's go."

The five men walked on, their footsteps the only sound vibrating throughout the maze-like tunnels.

A few minutes' of walking around sharp bends proved their efforts to get to MakubeX's headquarters futile. Kazuki knew that as the information seeker that they should reach the appropriate stairwell leading to the headquarters if they'd turned around that corner. But it seemed as though everything was repeating itself, much like a bad dream. _Or it was one of MakubeX's virtual realities,_ Kazuki thought. Cadmus picked up that thought, finally understanding the situation.

In a sudden impulse, Kazuki called out.

"MakubeX! I know you're listening! Please stop this, we need to see you urgently! Let us meet you!"

"What the hell, itomaki, shut up!" Ban hissed, looking around warily. The deafening silence around them seemed to thicken. The Jagan user feared the worst.

In the distance, something luminous flickered, catching their attentions. Kazuki smiled softly and went closer to the brightly illuminating door. "See, Ban-kun? Nothing can go wrong."

"On the contrary, yes, everything can go wrong. That's not MakubeX in there," Cadmus said, frowning as he heard several foreign voices coming from behind the door.

"Then who?" Ginji asked. Ban smirked smugly at Kazuki, who ignored him.

It was that familiar yet foreign disjointed thoughts coming from that man Akabane. Cadmus remembered their encounter the night before. "Just... let's not go there."

He placed a little mental suggestion in Ban's mind that a certain cloaked Transporter who shouldn't be there, was behind the door. Ban perked and looked at Cadmus, and nodded. He grabbed Ginji by the arm and led him away from the door.

"C'mon, Ginji, we're out of here."

"But-" A loud bang interrupted Ginji's retort.

Ban turned his head, only to find the door had flown wide open. The silence grew unbearable after a few moments. Just when he thought he couldn't take it anymore, the silence was broken by the sound of footsteps. A familiar black-cloaked Transporter stepped out, followed by several unknown men.

The man spoke in low, and somewhat chiding tones. "My, my, leaving already, Get Backers? And here 

I was, thinking to myself how... pleasant it would be to chat to Cadmus-kun for a bit."

Cadmus remained dispassionate despite the shock he felt from those words. "So you do remember me."

"Of course I still remember you, Cadmus-kun. How can I forget about the newest member of the Get Backers, the one with truly amazing powers that I've never seen before in my life?" Akabane's eyes narrowed slightly. "I want to know in greater depth, about what you really are."

All of them didn't speak nor move for a moment. Ban bristled at the tension, thinking to himself how all of this was a waste of time. "What the fuck are you doing here, Dr. Jackal?! We never invited you here. Go get a life!" Ban snarled, moving up to Akabane threateningly.

Akabane smiled graciously and remained unaffected. He answered Ban's question, preferring to omit the Jagan user's harshness. "First and foremost, I am here simply to tag along for the ride." He gestured lazily at the men behind him. "In fact I'm here to find out why there were missing holes in my mind as I woke up yesterday. I'm not angry that the mission was a failure, no – but I wonder greatly about a man who can wipe out people's minds, burn them down to ashes with but a mere thought, and to also hear voices through thick walls."

"I strongly urge you, Cadmus-kun, to refrain from toying with my mind like yesterday. I'd prefer to remember my encounters with such a powerful and mysterious man such as yourself." Akabane said, now turning to Kazuki and Shido. "You are here for Kakei Juubei, are you not? I feel like it is my duty to inform you that a person such as he has no chance of recovering from his condition. I'm afraid that he's in a coma for drug overdose." Akabane shook his head. "Pity, and I thought he would be above all that."

Kazuki clapped his palm over his mouth in horror, his brown eyes watering with tears. "W-What..." He stammered. Ginji glanced at Kazuki, feeling sorry for him.

Kazuki took a deep breath and plunged forward. "Do you know where he is, Akabane-san?" It wouldn't hurt to ask.

"Of course I do. He's at Gen's pharmacy." Kazuki nodded, and mumbled thanks to the Transporter. He grabbed Shido's hand and ran forward, oblivious to the Beast Master's choked cry of surprise.

"Good, we're finally alone now." Akabane said, sparing a glance at Ban and Ginji. _It looks like they're preoccupied with Tenma's henchmen,_ he thought. Ban was placing several well-aimed Snake Bites, a look of distant pleasure etched on his features whereas Ginji was making use of his electricity to attack them.

Akabane felt a shiver creeping itself into his bones as Cadmus grinned ferociously, baring his long fangs.

"Very well. I'll tell you what I really am."


	17. Chapter 17

**Title:** Blood of the Snake, a Get Backers fanfic

**By:** retroelectric

**Warnings: **Mature Themes, Vampirism, Horror/Supernatural, Strong Language, Yaoi,**Alternate Universe**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the characters from Get Backers. This is a Get Backers fan fiction, ideas purely fan-made speculations based off the relationship between the Get Backers duo and infused with several elements inspired – and not stolen off the Vampire Chronicles Universe by Anne Rice. It is also important to note that this does not contain ANY of her characters, thus this is strictly NOT a Vampire Chronicles/Get Backers crossover. In this way I do not breach any of Anne Rice's policies regarding fan fiction on her work.

**Chapter 17**

* * *

"_Very well. I'll tell you what I really am."_

Cadmus moved several steps closer to Akabane, and smiled, with a slow, subtle curving of his pale lips. The dark-cloaked man didn't back away. His slight hitching of breath gave his nervousness away as Cadmus pushed his hard chest lightly against Akabane's.

"I see blood-lust brewing in your eyes," He whispered huskily. "And it is different from the blood-lust which I normally feel. I drink blood out of necessity, but you draw blood out of weaker men, cutting them down purely for your own pleasure, do you not? I can hear those disgusting, murderous thoughts rattling around your head, despite your so-called 'defense'." He laughed humourlessly. "My cherub has better mind defense than you."

"You protect your mind from any mind reader by means of confusion, do you not?" Cadmus murmured idly, as though talking about the weather. "You think of several different things at once, and that forms a barricade against what you are really thinking. Despite all that fancy riff-raff that you possess, I can still penetrate your mind, and I am able to know what you're thinking right now. You're thinking that all of this is impossible, right?"

Akabane's eyes widened slightly under the brim of his hat, his slender body tight and tense. Then he looked up and met Cadmus's iridescent violet eyes.

He finally spoke after a long moment. "You're very fascinating, Cadmus-kun. And now all this," He gestured with one hand, "Is making me impatient to find out what you really are."

Cadmus smiled, meeting Akabane's eyes. "All right. I'll humour you, Kuroudou. I'm a vampire who is more than three centuries old. I have powers that you can never imagine, an immortal who is invincible by all means." He backed away, and folded his arms. "Are you... satisfied?"

"I could be satisfied, but I'm afraid that the part about your powers is a bit vague for me to comprehend. I'm intrigued, though. Are you affected by garlic and crosses, and is it true that you vampires can turn into bats?"

"Aren't you going to find out yourself?" Cadmus said mildly.

"Is that an invitation for us to begin battle?" Akabane asked amusedly, smiling.

Cadmus laughed, unfolding his arms and letting them hang by his sides. "If that's what you want. I'm not really into this battling thing as you and the rest of them seem to be, but I can be persuaded to defend myself."

"It's a waste," Akabane said after calculating the other man with his cold killer's eyes.

"What is?" Cadmus asked, although he already knew what was coming.

"It's a waste for you to have those powers, whatever they might be, and not use them to your advantage."

"I do use my powers to my advantage, Kuroudou. It's just that I don't use them for killing people for sport. It's despicable."

Akabane's posture stiffened again as though he felt the sting of Cadmus's hidden meaning. "And yesterday wasn't? How very contradictory." Akabane hissed, and drawing out two scalpels from his body. He whipped them up as if he was going to throw them at him. "This is enough talking for now." After a long moment of stillness, Akabane looked up from under his hat as he heard Cadmus laugh loudly.

"Y-You can't possibly think that you can kill me by using mere scalpels, Kuroudou-san," Cadmus said disbelievingly, between choking breaths of laughter.

"Feh. You're always so damn cocky, Cadmus," Ban said breathily from across the room as he delivered a final blow to his victim. The dark-haired male grinned at him as the man fell at his feet. Ginji was likewise done with Tenma's bodyguards and he grinned boyishly, giving a thumbs up to Cadmus.

Akabane growled softly in well-hidden anger at the distraction. "Do pay attention to me, Cadmus-kun."

He flung his scalpels in one quick motion aiming at Cadmus's neck. Cadmus's ears perked as he heard a rushing noise and he quickly moved forward, the scalpels narrowly missing his nape of his neck. The sharp blades cut cleanly through his lustrous long blond hair and it fell to the ground in a soft motion.

The smile was instantly wiped off Cadmus's face. "Told you, Cadmus-sama!" Ban said in a somewhat affectionate jeering tone. "Anyway, that is a good look on you; the cute short hair. It's less 'seventeenth century', if you get my drift." The Jagan user grasped Ginji around the waist with one arm and half-dragged him away from the two men.

"Ban-chan!" Ginji hissed hotly, giving a cursory glance at a shock-stilled Cadmus. He attempted to wriggle away from Ban. "I need to help Cadmus-san out – let me go!"

"Baka," Ban drawled, "It's time that you start listening to your own advice." He tightened his grip around Ginji. "Weren't you the one who said that Cadmus can take care of himself?"

Ginji frowned. "I know that, but he doesn't know what Akabane-san is really capable of!"

"Shut up, lover. Just be a good boy and watch. It's going to be a spectacular show, I just know it!" Vivid spots of colour showed up on Ginji's cheekbones as he heard Ban called him lover, but he nodded and remained compliant in his arms.

Cadmus's violet and grey eyes were veiled and humid, Akabane noticed, and he was tense and expectant for the vampire's next move. His scalpels thrummed excitedly in his body. The next thing he knew was that in a blink of an eye, Cadmus had disappeared from his sight. He listened closely for any movement, half-hoping that a flock of bats would appear. _But would it?_ He wondered, doubting himself.

Ginji's head whipped up as Akabane let out an uncharacteristic short scream. Something had slammed him face-down into the ground with inhuman force. He grappled clumsily on the ground, attempting to right himself as quickly as he could manage and to remain in an invulnerable position. Showing your back to the enemy was plain stupid, he thought frantically, a wholly different sort of fear overpowering his senses. This sort of fear was what he wanted in his battles, the rush of adrenaline through his throbbing veins.

Akabane's thin lips curved upwards, and he had only managed to twist his body. His back was to the ground, his chest still vulnerable when Cadmus reappeared on top of him, his knees on either side of his waist. He couldn't move, Cadmus had locked him in. It was pure undiluted fear he felt at the exact moment and his heart skipped two beats. It had indeed been long since he'd felt such a rush like this in a battle, and he looked wonderingly at Cadmus. He fancied that anger was puffing across those icy violet eyes, subsided.

He stared, enticed at the messy lustrous hair falling into those violet grey eyes. His blond eyebrows were knitted together, giving him a look of a parent frowning upon the actions of his insolent child. The skin of the vampire was marble-like as he saw Cadmus's hand flick out to knock off the hat off Akabane's head.

"He's really fast." Ban commented of Cadmus, and Ginji nodded.

The Transporter's mouth was open in an 'o' as a foreign realisation knocked himself off-guard. He saw the sensuous glint of long white fangs behind Cadmus's lush mouth.

"You're beautiful," Akabane whispered inaudibly.

Ginji coloured again. "Er, Ban-chan, what's Cadmus-san doing to Akabane-san...? It looks like he's... ehem..." Ban shushed him for a moment, and scrutinised the two men on the ground.

"Am I?" Cadmus said, barely hearing the feverish whispers from Ban and Ginji as he brought a hand down onto Akabane's chest. "Or you're merely saying this to keep me off-guard, to impale one of your cursed scalpels deep in my body simply to see what happens next?"

"No idea..." Ban concluded. And they were silent for a moment as Akabane's mouth murmured something inaudible.

"Yes, yes I am," Akabane murmured, a lust of a different sort clouding in his eyes. His pink tongue sneaked out to moisten his suddenly dry lips.

"Then do it. You can't hurt me." Cadmus said dispassionately.

Akabane's breath involuntarily hitched. "I've never had anyone... so powerful... give themselves up so easily before," he gasped.

Cadmus's eyes glinted. "I wouldn't call this giving up, if I were you."

One scalpel flashed out and cut through Cadmus's wrist as though it were paper. Akabane looked on in a sick sort of pleasure and fascination as the detached, bleeding limb twitched feebly on the ground.

"Cadmus-san!" Ginji screamed, eyes widening at the flowing crimson blood and clawing at Ban's arm around him.

Cadmus picked it up and fixed it back on the copiously bleeding junction where wrist and arm met. The muscles knitted together, healing instantly and Cadmus flexed his fingers as if proving a point to Akabane. He wiped the blood off his fingers on the rough cloth of his pants.

Akabane was still staring at him as he spoke languidly. "You know, I've read somewhere before that some Makers hurt their fledglings by cutting off their limbs and rendering them immobile, as a form of punishment. It keeps them weak, but it doesn't kill them. I guess I have proof of that now."

"And my real fun starts now, does it not?" Cadmus bared his dagger-like fangs and bent forward, ripping at the collar of Akabane's coat harshly. The Transporter's pale shoulder and neck were revealed, and Cadmus heard and saw the throbbing pulse in his neck.

Akabane half-groaned half-whimpered as Cadmus sunk his teeth viciously deep into his tender flesh. Ban winced, remembering the sensation and stared entranced as Cadmus drunk on the killer's blood.

The hot blood exploded to life as it slid down Cadmus's throat. It was a feeling indescribable. He thought to himself how he should stop now before he actually killed Akabane, it wasn't his intention to kill anyone – just to scare them, maybe.

Upon seeing Cadmus's fangs embedded deeply in Akabane's neck, Ginji frantically willed himself to be stronger and finally broke free from Ban's grip. Ban made a small sound, but Ginji ignored him as he ran and fell to his knees near Cadmus. He tried to pulled him forcefully off Akabane.

"Don't do it, please..." Ginji cried pleadingly, electricity slightly crackling around him. He wrapped his arms around Cadmus's shoulder, attempting to pull him away and tears were welling in his brown eyes. Cadmus noticed all of this in the haze of the lust he felt.

Cadmus finally extricated himself from a grey-faced Akabane. He glanced at the expression on Ginji's face and brushed off Ginji's arms from around him. "I'm sorry, Ginji. Don't cry, please." He wiped off the tears from Ginji's face, and then walked away from Akabane's prone body, feigning indifference as his shoulder brushed Ban's.

Ginji remained, crouched. He looked at Akabane's grey lips and closed eyelids, and shivered a little as he got up. He walked briskly to catch up with Cadmus and Ban. They shut the illuminating door behind him, and walked on in grave silence to Gen's pharmacy.

"You can't kill me like just like that as well," was what Cadmus heard distantly. He didn't have to think long to know it was Akabane.


	18. Chapter 18

**Title:** Blood of the Snake, a Get Backers fanfic

**By:** retroelectric

**Warnings: **Mature Themes, Vampirism, Horror/Supernatural, Strong Language, Yaoi, **Alternate Universe**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the characters from Get Backers. This is a Get Backers fan fiction, ideas purely fan-made speculations based off the relationship between the Get Backers duo and infused with several elements inspired – and not stolen off the Vampire Chronicles Universe by Anne Rice. It is also important to note that this does not contain ANY of her characters, thus this is strictly NOT a Vampire Chronicles/Get Backers crossover. In this way I do not breach any of Anne Rice's policies regarding fan fiction on her work.

**Chapter 18**

* * *

Cadmus was having mixed emotions as they walked to Gen's pharmacy. He kept feeling like he'd done something that he shouldn't have done. It hurt him to think that he had done something so wrong to make Ginji cry like that. Ban, on the other hand, had smirked at him in a strangely proud manner as he closed the door behind him, and he couldn't help but to feel confused.

He never had been excessively emotional and sensitive. Cadmus never cared for what others thought, or for what his conscience screamed out to him, for the matter. That was mainly how Cadmus survived throughout more than three centuries on the surface of the Earth.

Cadmus had never gone underground before. He never felt the need to be known to the world, to write his life story and publish it into books. He kept countless journals before, but they were mostly private. He felt all that was ridiculous and he liked his quiet long life alone. He also didn't think he'd go crazy just because of it. The hundred years or so came and passed, and he remembered the warning his Maker gave him - "Time can be a dangerous thing to all of us. Just remember that in a century or two, you might not be able to adapt to the changing world around you." He'd scoffed at this, and he had been right. More than three centuries had passed and nothing had happened to him, except for his constantly evolving powers.

He'd stayed in Herakleion, his birth land, for half a century after he was turned. Cadmus had gotten bored with Greece soon enough, so he'd gone to explore the rest of 17th century Europe as a lone vagabond vampire, finally settling in Japan mid-19th century. He'd become fascinated with the Asian culture which had been so different and foreign from his own, and learned their language with no effort.

He was satisfied enough with his quiet life in Japan. But after meeting the Get Backers, he felt a most unlikely emotion unleashed from deep within his immortal heart that could possibly be love. After some deep thinking, he'd acknowledged the fact that he'd already fallen for them, and vice versa. He didn't want to lose any of it due to his indifferent nature.

He spoke suddenly, startling Ginji.. "I'm sorry. Was Akabane your friend, Ginji?"

"Huh?" Ginji asked, puzzled. "Eh, Akabane-san is not really... my friend, we just bump into each other often during missions, and he often likes to battle with me, but I don't 'cos he's really scary and all, but..." he trailed off, looking at Cadmus suspiciously, "Hey, why are you asking about Akabane-san?"

Cadmus smiled, putting an arm around Ginji's shoulder. "You just seemed to be emotionally affected back there."

"Erk? Because what you were doing _really _scared me?" Ginji fidgeted uncomfortably. Ban looked on interestedly.

"Do you want me to stop?"

"It's not like that, Cadmus-san! I mean, we can't really change the fact that you're a vampire, right?" Ginji said earnestly. "I should be the one to say sorry, I didn't mean to overreact like that!"

Cadmus smiled, and shrugged. "I suppose. I'm still sorry for making you cry, though."

Ginji grinned boyishly and locked his chocolate-brown eyes to Cadmus's violet ones. Ban interrupted them, shuddering dramatically. "Ech, I didn't know you were so sappy, Vampire-sama. Don't you dare trying that on me, though."

"And you and your revolutionary, inventive nicknames, cherub."

"It's good to know we're adapting to each other's quirks so fast," Ban commented, making a face. "Damn, I wish I knew of a spell which can create cigarettes out of thin air."

Ginji giggled. "But it's good for your health, Ban-chan! You didn't smoke for a week back at Iriomote," he said thoughtfully.

"That's because I'm not addicted, dummy. It keeps my hands and mouth occupied, that's all." Ban said haughtily, puffing out his chest.

"That doesn't make any sense!" Ginji argued, as they climbed the staircase to the pharmacy.

Ban rolled his eyes. "Yeah." He jogged quickly, and reached the door before Cadmus and Ginji. He knocked the door politely, and the old pharmacist came to meet them.

"Ah, the Get Backers," he said, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he smiled. The old man looked tired. "Do come in."

Ban nodded once, and stepped inside the room. He sneered at Shido, who bristled and promptly went over to a pale-looking Kazuki who was seated on one of the plastic chairs. The curtains were drawn, and Ban knew that Juubei was lying on the bed, comatose, on the other side.

"Kazuki, anything new? How's Juubei doing?" Ban asked quietly, using the needle-user's name for once out of respect.

"He's not doing too good, Ban-kun. He's still in a coma." Kazuki looked sad again for a moment. "Anyway, Ren-chan told me that she saw a letter in Juubei's hand when she found him unconscious. Here," Kazuki handed Ban a piece of paper which looked like it had been crumpled then smoothed back again, "I think this will help you find Tenma."

Ban looked at Kazuki calculatingly, and accepted the letter.

_'By the time you read this letter, I might already be dead. Either way, I have many things to confess. _

_As I write this, tears are pouring from my sightless eyes and I hope to God that someone will find this and be able to convey my final words to a certain someone. To Kazuki, I am sorry to have failed as your Protector-'_

Ban stopped there, and frowned. This was private. He skipped several paragraphs and read again.

_'Tenma has told me of his background – he's a wanted drug smuggler from Tokyo, seeking refuge in Mugenjou. He promised me many things. He said that with my skill and with his influence, we could make several things possible, like regaining my sight. I believed him. He told me that the drugs he'd give me would make my condition better. I was vulnerable at that time, and the result was that I got addicted to drugs. I am sorry, Kazuki. I was stupid.'_

_'Now that I've made a mistake, I need to make everything alright once more. Kazuki, Tenma is not just a drug dealer – he has a special ability, teleportation. This is how he was able to escape from prison. He works alone. This is also why MakubeX has given up on tracking him down, he's a very slick character.' _Ban raised his eyebrow at this, and scanned the letter, skipping the unimportant parts.

_'His headquarters is on the fifth floor.'_

As Ban examined the letter carefully, Shido glanced at the mysterious man beside Ginji. It was the scent of blood which constantly lingered on him, but now he positively reeked of it and just the thought made him feel ill. Shido wrinkled his nose involuntarily and simply turned his head away from them.

Ban handed the letter to Kazuki, and turned to Cadmus with a displeased look on his face. "Bah, do we really have to go kick Tenma's butt for them? Can't we leave that to Monkey Tamer or someone else? This is too stupid!"

Ginji glared at Ban warningly, then smiled at Kazuki. "Don't worry, Kazu-chan, we'll make Tenma pay for doing this to Juubei! The Get Backers are on the job!"

"Aw, hell..." Ban groaned, moving towards the door. "Fine. Whatever. Just don't expect me to use the Jagan."

Cadmus and Ginji followed, and Ban grumbled still as they took the flight of stairs to the fifth floor. "This is so stupid! Come on, it's not like it's our problem that Samurai Boy snorted a truckload of coke up his nose and is half-dead because of it! No one can coerce anyone to take drugs, it's their own personal choice! What a load of bullshit!"

Cadmus frowned at Ban. "If you feel like you won't help them, then let me."

"Fine. Go do what you want." Ban huffed. "What a waste of my time... Ah. Before I forget, the motherfucker Tenma can teleport, if that's of any help to you."

"So if I kill him, problem solved?" Cadmus asked nonchalantly.

"Oi, Vampire-sama! Now you're being morbid!" Ban said, but didn't protest. Ban then kept quiet the rest of their way, despite his restlessness. Ginji kept constant vigil, looking around himself warily and tiny sparks of electricity emitted from his body.

Soon enough, they reached the fifth floor. Ban and Ginji treaded quietly, whilst Cadmus moved forward. "It's your show, Cadmus," Ban called, grasping Ginji's hand and stopping the lightning-wielder effectively in his tracks.

"Ban-chan!" Ginji protested, looking at their interlocked hands and colouring. Ban shushed him, and watched as Cadmus grin maliciously to himself.

Cadmus sensed the presence of Tenma easily enough. He heard the vagabond prisoner move, heard his frantic drug-laced thoughts. The man was high on drugs, it seemed. Cadmus gave a little mental suggestion to the drug-dealer to reveal himself.

The young man followed Cadmus's mental suggestion without hesitation. It was laughably easy as Tenma didn't have mind defenses of any kind. The skinny boy appeared at Cadmus's feet, and he looked up from his sprawling position with bloodshot eyes. Cadmus proceeded to rifle through the man's mind effortlessly.

Tenma wasn't his actual name, Cadmus gathered. He was once a boy full of potential, having discovered his ability at the tender age of fifteen. But, it seemed that he'd gone down the long and winding road of drug abuse and pain, having no one to turn to. Cadmus shook his head sympathetically. He'd have thought that Tenma was an old, experienced drug smuggler, but it seemed that he was just a brash, arrogant boy, with lacklustre powers, arrogant enough to believe he could work alone. How Juubei managed to be entranced with such filth escaped him.

"You're Tenma, aren't you?" Cadmus spoke.

"Yesss... and wha' do you want?" the boy slurred.

"Your life."

"Ha ha ha, you're going to kill me, y-you bastard? I am Tenma, the great Tenma, I'm invi-vincible... ha ha ha," the boy rambled, eyelids drooping slightly.

"Ginji, we'd better go somewhere, don't want to interrupt Cadmus, do we?" Ban said and directed Ginji to the stairs, upon realising that Cadmus was about to take another young life. Ban knew that Ginji was still sensitive to this – this merciless killing that Cadmus seemed to be fond of. He didn't want Ginji to end up hating Cadmus for his senseless killing.

Cadmus heard his two partners move away. Tenma twitched at his feet pathetically, unable to escape from the vampire's spell. He promptly proceeded to bite deeply into the boy's jugular, closing a hand over the boy's mouth to prevent his screams from surfacing. The blond vampire felt no pain nor regret as he took the youth's life.

A few moments later, Cadmus reappeared alongside Ban and Ginji, feeling slightly inebriated and smiled at them apologetically. Ginji smiled back. "Cadmus-san, what happened to Tenma?" he asked, with wide trusting eyes. The blond male made a move to walk past Cadmus and up the stairs, but Ban blocked him.

"Ginji, let's go. Aren't you hungry or something?" Ban diverted the situation, knowing the topic of food would distract Ginji. "I'm really hungry." Ban patted his stomach.

"Eheh, yes, I am!" Ginji sparkled happily. "I'd like to have as many egg sushis as possible! Mmm, sushi!"

Ban nodded considerately at Cadmus, who felt stunned. It seemed as though the Jagan user knew of his every intention towards them.


	19. Chapter 19

**Title:** Blood of the Snake, a Get Backers fanfic

**By:** retroelectric

**Warnings:**Mature Themes, Vampirism, Horror/Supernatural, Strong Language, Yaoi, **Alternate Universe**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the characters from Get Backers. This is a Get Backers fan fiction, ideas purely fan-made speculations based off the relationship between the Get Backers duo and infused with several elements inspired – and not stolen off the Vampire Chronicles Universe by Anne Rice. It is also important to note that this does not contain ANY of her characters, thus this is strictly NOT a Vampire Chronicles/Get Backers crossover. In this way I do not breach any of Anne Rice's policies regarding fan fiction on her work.

**Chapter 19**

* * *

It was still dark outside, Ban noticed, as they left Mugenjou. Glancing at his watch, he realised that it was only half past eleven. They still had several hours to spare before the sun rose and Cadmus had to succumb to his death sleep. Ban suggested a hearty late night supper to celebrate, then added something cheeky about Cadmus having had a buffet back in Mugenjou. Cadmus smiled to himself, couldn't refute him of it. He was feeling a little bit inebriated himself from too much blood and his wonderful company.

After the particularly satisfying supper, the trio returned back to the hotel after much insistence from Ban.

"We," Ban said, looking pointedly at Ginji, "have something special to show you." He opened the door to the hotel room with steady hands.

"We do?" Ginji asked, feeling both surprised and confused.

"Hope it's a good one then," Cadmus replied mildly. Ban made a small sound, and pushed Cadmus lightly in front of him, directing him to the large bed. Ginji locked the door behind him, wondering what Ban was planning. His question was answered as the dark haired male knelt on carpet and pulled the acquired coffin from underneath the bed. Cadmus stared as Ban smirked triumphantly at him, a smile of his own tugging at his lips.

"Well, this is certainly impressive of both of you. I never expected it to be ready this fast." Cadmus grinned as a thought struck him, turning his body to them. Ban slid the coffin back in its place. "You didn't go dig up a random grave to get this, did you? Because I'd hate to think that I'll be sleeping in a used coffin."

Ginji tittered, and Cadmus laughed again, the sound rich and deep. "Thank you, really." He clapped his hands once, looking at Ban and Ginji. "Now, what can I do to repay you for this? I don't suppose you'd expect me to request something from both of you and not receive something in return."

Ban smirked again. This was what he'd been expecting from Cadmus the whole day, he thought. The opportune moment now arose, and he was going to milk it for it was worth. Ban's midnight blue eyes glinted mischievously in the dim light.

"We-ell," Ban said lazily, drawing out the word, "You could show Ginji and I what you've been hiding in those pants for so long now." With that lusty statement, the once playful air between them changed, became headier.

Ginji felt it, and he giggled nervously and blushed. Lust slid over Cadmus's amused eyes as he recounted Ban's request once more. The blond vampire saw Ban's pink tongue dark out, wetting his bottom lip deliciously, making it gleam in slow motion before he answered. "Vampires can't procreate, y'know," he said, though he felt he couldn't refuse anything he requested of him.

"I don't care." Ban narrowed his eyes slightly.

Cadmus shrugged, seeing the bobbing of Ginji's Adam's apple as he swallowed. "Why don't you do me a favour... and do it yourself?" He gestured to the bed, and the two young men followed, thoroughly enticed. "Come here."

It was Ginji whom Cadmus drew into his arms first. He stared into those deep brown depths for a while, the blush on his peach-coloured skin gaining intensity. He moved his head forward slowly and eliminated the distance between them, pressing Ginji's tender pink lips to his.

Ginji shivered and involuntarily let loose several sparks as he laced his arms apprehensively around Cadmus's neck. Cadmus felt surprisingly warm as his skin touched his. The blond vampire licked and sucked on Ginji's bottom lip, not using his fangs on his tender flesh. Ginji opened his mouth and made a pleased sort of noise, closing his eyes blissfully.

Cadmus was momentarily startled out of his ministrations on Ginji as he felt something warm and wet slide down his neck. Opening a violet eye to look, he saw that Ban had sidled up from behind him, staring at him lustfully and he could hear the Jagan user's breathing become steadily harsher.

Ban unbuttoned Cadmus's shirt slowly, hands moving languidly down to the zipper of his pants. Cadmus removed his lips from Giniji with a wet smack, moving them into a more comfortable position and lifted him from his lap. Cadmus then proceeded to lick at the frantic pulse point on Ginji's throat, feeling pleased as he heard the soft mewls Ginji was making.

Ban continued to caress his marble-like skin still as his fingers toyed around with the zipper. His face was a little flushed with lust and anticipation, midnight blue eyes darkened even more if possible.

"Cherub," Cadmus whispered, his accented voice thick and rough. Ginji's heart skipped a beat as Cadmus's mouth was directly on his ear, the warm breath shuddering on his sensitive skin.

Ban unzipped Cadmus's pants at last, removing them off him in one slick motion. The piece of clothing was flung to the floor. Ginji reopened bleary, chocolate brown eyes to gaze as he heard Ban giving a low whistle.

Cadmus's revealed organ was long and thick, and was marble-like in its appearance, framed by rough white blond hair. Ban's hands traveled southwards of its own will and started to touch him. Despite its unaroused state, he noticed, it was as hard as the rest of his body. Ginji coloured prettily and squirmed as he saw Cadmus's exposed flesh.

"Ooh. Where have you been all my life?" Ban commented with a lewd grin, moving out of his own clothes in a lithe wriggle and signaling to Ginji to do the same. Ginji complied without resistance, the stirrings he felt in his groin were beginning to grow unbearable. "I hope you can move your hips piston-like. Before I forget..." Ban said distractedly, as he rummaged through the drawer and retrieved a brand new tube of lube, tossing it to Ginji.

Ginji caught it, and squeaked when he saw the label. "B-Ban-chan!" He wrung his hands around the tube, not knowing what to do.

"Mm, Ginji, you act as if we've never done this before," Ban grinned lasciviously. He moved forward and planted his lips brusquely onto Ginji's, stifling his moans as he wrapped his arms around Ginji's waist, pushing him down onto the bed hungrily. The tube was forgotten as Ginji's hand became lax, then clenched and grabbed onto the sheets as Ban's erection ground into his.

Cadmus watched, entranced. The sweat was beginning to form on Ban's muscled lower back, and Ginji's hand was sneaking it's way into spiky dark hair. He wondered why Ban wanted him to do this so much, but the question never made it out of him as he stared at the way his two lovers moved in tandem together.

He was so absorbed in their movement that he didn't notice them move closer to him. "Yeah?" Cadmus asked, his tone almost cheekily innocent. The hot arousal glinted on the surface of their eyes.

"I want you... I want you deep inside me and fucking me so hard and so good that you make me come several times over," Ban whispered huskily, making sure that Ginji heard what he was saying as well. "And while you're fucking me so hard, I want to taste Ginji's hard cock in my mouth, hitting the back of my throat, and we're going to come at the same time. And I'll swallow."

Ginji gasped, Ban's dirty talk having the desired effect on him. He opened his mouth as if to speak, then closed it back again. Cadmus regained his ability to speak after several moments. "Yes. Whatever you want," he said agreeably, his voice still thick.

Ban smirked, and retrieved the forgotten tube of lube amongst the rumpled sheets of the bed.

* * *

Days turned into weeks, and weeks gradually turned into months. Time flies by like a sublime sensation, and it seemed that way to Cadmus. The trio had been constantly moving to and fro from the hotel and their missions. Cadmus just wanted a place that Ban and Ginji could call their home and was close enough for Ban and Ginji to keep in touch with those people Ginji called his friends. He'd gone and made arrangements for a brand new apartment in Shinjuku, with little difficulty.

He did all this without the knowledge of Ban nor Ginji. Cadmus wanted it to be a surprise.

The keys arrived by mail to the hotel early that evening, and Cadmus smiled when he opened it. He pocketed the keys, memorised the address and headed off to familiar, homely Honky Tonk which he knew that his lovers would be at.


	20. Chapter 20

**Title:** Blood of the Snake, a Get Backers fanfic

**By:** retroelectric

**Warnings: **Mature Themes, Vampirism, Horror/Supernatural, Strong Language, Yaoi, **Alternate Universe**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the characters from Get Backers. This is a Get Backers fan fiction, ideas purely fan-made speculations based off the relationship between the Get Backers duo and infused with several elements inspired – and not stolen off the Vampire Chronicles Universe by Anne Rice. It is also important to note that this does not contain ANY of her characters, thus this is strictly NOT a Vampire Chronicles/Get Backers crossover. In this way I do not breach any of Anne Rice's policies regarding fan fiction on her work.

**Chapter 20**

* * *

"How is his condition, Gen-san?" Kazuki asked the pharmacist with a glimmer of hope in his voice. The old man's face remained dispassionate as he shook his head, signaling no improvement for Juubei, and the little hope he had was dashed.

Feeling defeated, Kazuki sat down on the chair beside Juubei's bed, glancing at the man who'd once been his best friend – and maybe, his lover? He sighed, brushing away the stray hair falling into his face. Without knowing it the long-haired man fell deep into thought, something he noticed he constantly seemed to be straying into.

Sometimes he thought about himself, and reminiscing of times long gone and times when Juubei and Toshiki were together with him. The other times he thought about his ex-leader Ginji, how happy he seemed with the Get Backers, with Ban and Cadmus. And speaking of Cadmus, everything about that man eluded him.

He didn't seem like a native of Mugenjou nor Japan. His Japanese had a slight accent to it, an accent he couldn't quite place but it was still evident. Cadmus's poise and elegance was something out-of-place between the Get Backers – Ginji's clumsiness and Ban's rudeness, but it seemed to fit somehow.

Kazuki suddenly remembered of that time, a few months ago back in Mugenjou when Cadmus took several daggers in the back, but him walking away with not a scratch on his marble-like skin. That was unnatural, and so very wrong that a normal human being not die after being stabbed like that, but Ginji and Ban had not reacted in the way he'd expected them to. They didn't panic and neither did they move to attack the person who'd done it to Cadmus. That had to mean they knew that Cadmus wouldn't die even if he was to get hurt. And that speed he possessed was inhuman. So what was his nature, exactly?

Then a sudden realisation hit Kazuki out of nowhere, and everything dawned upon him.

* * *

Cadmus walked with a normal pace to the Honky Tonk. He hid brilliant violet eyes behind dark tinted glasses and concealed his glassy fingernails in leather gloves. He placed a hand in his pocket, checking that the keys were still with him.

Cadmus walked into Honky Tonk sedately, waving slightly at the cafe owner Paul. The middle-aged man had been apprehensive at first of Cadmus's nature, but he'd gotten used to it as time passed. The familiar spiky dark hair and blond bobbed in one of the booths, sounds of bickering coming from them over sushi and Cadmus couldn't help but to smile at it.

"Cadmus-san!" Ginji's cheery voice sounded, and Cadmus seated himself across them, grinning.

"What's with that grin? You up to no good again?" Ban said, voice filled with good humour.

"Probably."

"You can shove that to one side because we have another mission waiting for us, Vampire-sama!" Ban said, smirking as he took a sip of coffee. Ginji nodded, beaming.

"The job can wait." Cadmus stated, with a hard look.

"What?"

"You heard me," Cadmus said. "I have something to show both of you."

A silence passed. "You sure seem eager," Ban muttered. Cadmus nodded, and gestured for them to follow him. He heard Ginji saying goodbye to Paul as he stepped out of the cafe. Ban looked around the walkway, locking an arm around Cadmus's waist, satisfied that there was no one around except for him, Ginji and Cadmus.

"So what is it?" Ban asked, curious.

"You'll see soon enough, cherub." Cadmus replied, walking around a bend, the lively sounds of traffic and people engulfing any other notions to talk.

The trio were ensconced in a comfortable silence as they walked past noisy streets and quiet neighbourhoods. Finally, after only several minutes they arrived at the destination. It was a small building which looked inconspicuous amongst the other tall and looming buildings. Cadmus walked into the building, disengaging Ban's hold on him and digging out the keys from his pocket.

He walked up to one of the doors, and before he could open it, he turned to Ban and Ginji. "It isn't as luxurious as my mansion in Iriomote, but I hope it is comfortable enough for a home," Cadmus said, as he unlocked the door.

Cadmus stepped in and waited for his two partner's response. Ginji went forward and looked around excitedly, peeking into each elegantly decorated room whilst Ban stood there and stared.

"I knew you were rich, but this?" Ban said, after several moments, gesturing at the opulence of the room that resembled the mansion's. The walls were painted in muted colours which matched the atmosphere. Cadmus grinned. "You've outdone yourself again!"

"You haven't seen the half of it, cherub." Cadmus said. "There's also an adequately equipped library. Go on, check it out."

Ban's eyes widened slightly, and grinned. "Wow. Like I said, you've outdone yourself again." Ginji walked into the living room beaming and he aimed a flying hug at Cadmus.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Ginji cried, hugging the blond vampire tightly. "This is so awesome!"

"You're welcome," Cadmus replied, hugging him back.

After a few moments, Ginji spoke again, looking up at Cadmus. "Ne, Cadmus-san? Why'd you buy a new house?"

"Because I'm sick of living in a hotel, and because I love both of you." Ginji sparkled happily and let go of Cadmus. He beamed up at the vampire. Unbeknownst to Cadmus and Ginji, Ban's face changed slightly as he heard the blond vampire's admission. "I'm going to check out the library," he said, leaving the living room with that small comment.

Cadmus looked at Ginji, a question at the tip of his tongue. "Do you want to take a walk with me?" The blond boy nodded, smiling.

Cadmus flicked a glance at the closed door of the library. "Ban, we're going out for a while," Cadmus called out as he closed the front door. They walked into the cold night air, Ginji tightening his coat around his body.

"Gin-chan," Cadmus said quietly, using the nickname he had for Ginji when they were alone. The light from the street lamp illuminated his skin.

"Yes?" Ginji replied, looking at Cadmus's pensive face. He subconsciously recognised the park that they were headed to. He distractedly thought to himself how long it'd been since he'd gone here. Cadmus hesitated for a moment, then plunged forward. Ginji needed to know about him.

"Do you really know what it means to be a vampire? It's not about sucking blood and killing people. It's a matter of survival for people like me. I'm going to show you... and I'm not going to hide the fact that it's not going to be pretty."

Cadmus pointed to a familiar spot in the park. Ginji recognised the place in slow horror – it was the place where he'd found his Ban-chan deathly pale and on the brink of death. "Do you remember this place? This was where I first revealed myself to Ban," he said, Ginji nodding gravely.

"Why are you telling me this?" Ginji asked trustingly as he gazed into Cadmus's eyes.

"Because you need to know. It is time that you start seeing that I'm not all wonder and nothing else. Gin-chan, I'm telling you that I'm a killer, and I want you to accept that," he said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"But I already do," Ginji whispered, and Cadmus was silent.

An unknown woman walking in clacking heels a few metres away broke the silence between them. "You don't. I can see from the way Ban shields you all the time from seeing me kill." Cadmus gestured to the figure. "Do you see that woman walking? I'm going to kill her right now, in front of you." Ginji gasped silently.

"N-No..."

"If you say no, that means you haven't really accepted what I am. I have to make you see, Gin-chan." Cadmus moved closer to the unsuspecting woman with a backward glance to Ginji, and with a swift motion he had clasped her around her waist as though he was her lover, and was moving his mouth closer to her neck. Ginji's eyes bugged out as Cadmus proceeded to sink his teeth into her jugular, and he closed her screaming mouth with a palm. It hurt him to see people being killed but he couldn't take his eyes away from this scene.

After a few moments, he released her and Cadmus walked up to a shocked Ginji. "Do you see, Ginji? I kill not because I want to spite you. I do this out of necessity, because I have to live. If I didn't kill that woman tonight and drunk her blood, I might not look like what I do right now. You would be able to see my veins and bones through my skin, and I'd look like a real horror. It is a matter of survival for us vampires. You have to accept this fact, Ginji... because one day, you may become like me. And I don't want you to suffer because of your conscience when you become one of my kind."

Cadmus flicked his wrist and the dead woman disappeared. Ginji felt stunned for a moment before he spoke. His face held a disturbed expression. "I understand, Cadmus-san." Cadmus held Ginji's gaze.

"You and Ban are my chosen ones, chosen to be my fledglings and you are going to carry my legacy on well. You must be in control of yourself and of your fate. Live forever and never die. That's all I ever ask of you."

"Yes." That was the only thing Ginji could say at that time and Cadmus accepted it.

As he looked at Ginji, Cadmus noted with curiosity that his eyes appeared glassy and his body seemed to be inanimate all of a sudden – he could see Ginji's muscles growing oddly lax, and he sensed that Ginji could fall to his knees anytime. Even with his preternatural hearing, he couldn't even hear Ginji's breathing. Something was amiss; he knew it.

"Gin-chan?" he spoke, with a question dying at the back of his throat.

Dead brown eyes turned its gaze on him. Cadmus was taken aback at the image. His mind was screaming at him to run away from this unnatural manifestation. The warmth and happiness usually reflected in those eyes were gone and Cadmus frowned at it. He wondered for a second of what he should do. He considered grabbing Ginji by the shoulders and shaking him, hard, but something stopped him.

Ginji stuck his arms up skywards. Cadmus fancied that the clouds would gather in the sky and rain would fall onto his immortal skin – but he noticed that all the light from the lamp posts were flickering. A certain sort of energy was gathering near him, and suddenly all the lights were gone, ensconcing them in darkness. Cadmus's vampire eyes adjusted easily in the darkness.

Electricity seemed to clump together like iron filings to magnet in mid-air and he could even see the crackling slivers of it enter Ginji's skin with his vampire eyes. Ginji was absorbing the electricity into his body like a sponge. The light from the accumulating energy gradually grew even more blinding and Cadmus shielded his eyes.

He could feel the air growing hotter around him, and it reminded Cadmus of an incident where he'd been careless once and had let the sun rays burn his skin. What he felt now – the heat from Ginji – didn't even come close to that time when he'd been burnt; but to feel such a spike in temperature on such a cold night like that alarmed him.

"Raitei." The word was spoken, and then it seemed to flit in the air moth-like and it disappeared into the crackling noise the electricity was making. Cadmus waited for several moments, still shielding his eyes from the glare and finally put his hand down as the bright light died down.

The sight he was met with as he let himself see was nothing he ever expected. Ginji's body was glowing with inhuman energy and the warmth and laughing eyes (1) were gone. This man – even though he had the very same body as Ginji – was cold featured, and exuded a proud poise, something which could be associated with a certain arrogance from knowing he had power over other people.

Cadmus had heard of Raitei through Ginji's bumbling thoughts, though only at times when Ginji was in a dark mood. He'd even caught a glimpse of him several times. He'd come to acknowledge that Raitei was something destructible and dangerous, and when Ginji even had a fleeting thought of him Cadmus had learned to distract him. But now it was too late – and he never got a warning that Raitei was about to surface. Copious amounts of electricity spluttered and hissed about his body and as Cadmus took one hard look at the man before him, he began noticing something was amiss.

Cadmus noticed dark purple and ugly bruises from what little he could see of Ginji's body. His neck was a mottled red as though his body had a bad reaction to something. Cadmus stood there, silent and unmoving despite the stray electricity jolting his skin. He waited for the other man to speak.

"I finally get to meet you," Raitei announced, with Ginji's voice but it contained no cheer nor warmth.

"And likewise," Cadmus replied calmly. His posture was tense, and he kept his heightened senses on guard.

"So, _Cadmus-sama_," Raitei said, spitting out his name as though it were something poisonous, "You've managed to seduce my weaker half and made him fall in love with you, haven't you? I can see why." Raitei's crackling hand moved forward to caress Cadmus's smooth marble-like cheek. "You look cute and delicate, like a rose. You have a beautiful face and you look as though lovely words will spill out of your mouth once you open it. And this body that you possess can make fools fall in love. I can see why."

"Fine compliments, thank you," Cadmus replied blithely, and with it Raitei's calm disposition totally changed.

"You son of a bitch, Cadmus," he hissed. "Ginji might've already fallen for you but I think you're despicable. Do you want to know why he's been holding back? It's not because of Ban or you. It's because of me. I've been feeding thoughts into his brain that you're evil and that you should die, which you should. Ginji's just accepted your nature a few seconds ago, hasn't he?" He let loose a humourless laugh. "What a weakling. That's why I had to intervene."

Raitei rolled his sleeves and held his bruised arms for Cadmus to see. "You did this to me, you bastard. Your blood and my power don't mix. It fucking burns and boils my insides. Ginji might've had a real fun time drinking it, but it's poison. And before you can even try to kill me off by feeding him your blood, I'm going to do it first."

Cadmus remained dispassionate as he filled the silence. "You can't kill me. You'd have a hell of a time trying."

"Cocky, are we?" Raitei mocked, and moved swiftly towards him. Cadmus caught a momentary glimpse of the hardened features, and hoped never to see it on Ginji again. But Raitei was attacking him with a loud, lusty cry, sending a hard wave of burning electricity.

Raitei noticed that Cadmus wasn't attempting to defend himself and he snarled, baring his teeth.

"Respond, you coward!"

"No," Cadmus breathed, and he stumbled forward a bit as another bout of searing electricity jolted him, sending throbbing pain through his body. Cadmus hissed a little, an acrid smell of his own burnt hair meeting his senses.

"DO IT!" Raitei screamed, balling his right fist.

"It's not in my nature-" Cadmus gasped, "-to fight in useless battles." Another wave of stinging pain.

"Why, Vampire Man? Is it because this is Ginji's body and you don't want to scar his 'beautiful' skin?" Raitei snarled. "Bloody martyr! Fight me!" Raitei then stopped his attack, panting as he recovered quickly from the strong electrical attack he'd just released. Wild brown eyes stared at Cadmus.

"Do you really want to see me fight that badly?" Cadmus asked, his voice a low whisper. "Because I can't fight anyone in the true sense, you know. No mortal can last so long before I give them my death kiss."

With that final softly spoken sentence, Cadmus disappeared out of Raitei's line of sight. His brown eyes widened, and he looked around for signs of the vampire.

"Coward, filth," Raitei taunted, half-expecting Cadmus to come lunging at him from above. His posture was tense, and Cadmus sighed a little as he lifted a hand and commanded his Spell Gift upon Raitei, rendering him immobile.

"No one can truly kill me – not unless some mortal has a gift of repelling my superior mind powers," Cadmus whispered into Raitei's ear as he reappeared beside him. "And not even Ban who is frighteningly powerful has that. So what more could be expected of you, especially outside of Mugenjou?"

Cadmus could feel Raitei trashing about angrily in his invisible bonds, but it was futile. "This is about as far as you go, Gin-chan," Cadmus murmured wistfully against Raitei's ear. Raitei stiffened and commanded his strongest electrical attack on the vampire but only sparks flew.

Cadmus braced himself as he loosened his control on Raitei, and was met full force with another strong attack. He gritted his teeth together, concealing the effect on him. Moving swiftly, Cadmus grabbed the nape of Ginji's neck forcefully and sunk his dagger-like fangs deep in his jugular. He heard Raitei scream and he felt like screaming, too – the lightning-laced blood absolutely burned his throat; and his skin, vulnerable to the electricity felt as though it was exposed to the sun once more.

It was liquid fire in the most roaring painful sense that he was tasting and Raitei's attack gradually grew weaker and weaker, puffs of breath now shallow. Cadmus's eyes burned and he could feel blood tears leaking from his eyes. The blinding light from the electricity gradually faded away.

Cadmus extricated himself from Ginji's now limp body. Raitei was gone, and all was left was a severely weakened and pale Ginji in his arms. Ginji's eyes fluttered open slightly, peering exhaustedly. His face held an expression of confusion.

"C-Cadmus-san... W-What..." Ginji spoke, his voice a harsh whisper and Cadmus placed a finger on Ginji's lips, shushing him. Ginji wobbled on his feet and Cadmus went and pick him up, carrying Ginji fully in his arms effortlessly.

"Be quiet, and go to sleep." Ginji nodded weakly and closed his eyes.

* * *

Cadmus arrived home only to be met with silence and a total lack of Ban's presence. He ignored it for a moment, concentrating on carrying Ginji into his room and then tucking him into the large bed. Ginji did not stir as Cadmus covered him with a soft quilt, and gave Ginji a soft kiss on the corner of his mouth.

Walking into the living room, Cadmus noticed there was a note on the coffee table. It was a note from Ban, and he proceeded to read Ban's elegant script.

"_Vampire-sama:_

_I'm going out for a bit, and I'll only be back during the day so don't wait up for me. Tell Ginji to meet me at the Honky Tonk around 6._

_Ban"_

Cadmus left the note on the bedside table where Ginji was still sleeping. He was beginning to feel the first signs of lethargy slipping into his body, and sensed the sun beginning its dreaded rise. It was time to retreat into his coffin.

He lifted the heavy carpet on the floor of the living room and spotted the concealed entrance to his chamber. Cadmus lifted the heavy stone door leading to his underground chambers, stepped in and closing the door after him, latching the heavy deadbolt on the inside. His secret chamber was sufficiently concealed that he knew no one, not even Ban or Ginji would be able to notice.

As he lay in the darkness, a tumult of memories of Raitei and a certain worry for Ban ran through his mind before he succumbed to the death sleep, engulfing him in nothingness.


	21. Chapter 21

**Title: **Blood of the Snake, a Get Backers fanfic

**By: **retroelectric

**Warnings: **Mature Themes, Vampirism, Horror/Supernatural, Strong Language, Yaoi, Alternate Universe

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the characters from Get Backers. This is a Get Backers fan fiction, ideas purely fan-made speculations based off the relationship between the Get Backers duo and infused with several elements inspired – and not stolen off the Vampire Chronicles Universe by Anne Rice. It is also important to note that this does not contain ANY of her characters, thus this is strictly NOT a Vampire Chronicles/Get Backers crossover. In this way I do not breach any of Anne Rice's policies regarding fan fiction on her work.

**Chapter 21**

* * *

The Jagan Master walked briskly towards Madoka's mansion after closing the door of his car, hands in his pockets. He had breathed a sigh of relief as he heard Cadmus calling out that he and Ginji were going out together – that ensured that he had enough time to place his plan into action.

He'd first figured that he'd take the forgotten mission by himself this time around. Cadmus and Ginji wouldn't mind if he did; after all, he knew that Cadmus wanted to do something fun with Ginji that night like going out to a club, for instance – and those kind of things were not what Ban liked to do – that was what Ginji liked.

After reconsidering and weighing the prospects himself, Ban decided to make a surprise visit to Madoka's mansion, to see if Shido was there or not, and then coax his not-quite-friend but more importantly, a fellow retriever to take the mission on with him. The pay wasn't too shabby, not that he desperately needed it, and the job looked to be simple enough.

And there was the thing in Ban's mind which constantly bothered him, and demanded closure. The many months he spent with Cadmus brought him to think of all the unsettled things in his past between him and other people. He could see it – even smell it – in Cadmus's actions that he wanted to turn them into vampires, to be by his side forever. He secretly craved the day to come himself, and he knew that most people would think of him as power-hungry; sick, even, because of it. But what was Ban if not for his power? He knew that having undisturbed immortality with Ginji and Cadmus meant he needed to ensure his mortal life would be left in peace.

Ban also knew the ongoing feud between Shido and himself could be thought of as petty, but there was something about the Beast Master – that every time they met, there surely would be a certain tension between them, and he didn't think the tension was there because of Ginji anymore. Ban always knew that Shido had a reason as to why he told him he hated him – it was because of Ginji, and Shido always argued that Ban was unworthy and undeserving of Ginji as a partner and a lover. Ban would of course refute him of it, ever since the first time they met. But after they've known each other longer, a sort of uneasy truce had formed between the two of them, despite the fact that they'd bicker over the smallest things once they were in each other's company.

Ban could see the way that Shido bristled and argued and attacked with words every time they came into contact. And he realised that those small reactions Shido made were enticing to him, and he found himself wondering of how those large, calloused hands would feel wrapped around his body; demanding, covetous. He wanted closure, because he could see the way Shido himself react to him. He saw well-hidden wanting looks for him as Shido stared at him with unmistakable fire every time they argued. And maybe, if he was nice to Shido for a little bit, he'd get to fulfill those concealed wants of his, and lure Shido into his desirous trap...

Shaking his head at the thought and dispelling the blush forming on his cheeks, Ban pressed the button on the outside, and he heard a harsh electric beep, before Madoka's serene voice answered.

"Otowa residence, how may I assist you?"

"Ah, Madoka-chan," Ban answered, surprised. He'd expected a butler to answer. "May I come in? I need to speak to Shido about a retrieval mission."

"Ban-san?" Madoka sounded surprised as well. "Of course you may. Do come in. I can't see you right now, though, I'm busy practising for a concert in Belgium. Shido-san's in his room right now..."

"I understand. Thank you." With that, Ban pushed open the now unlocked gate and walked, a butler opening the opulent oak doors of the mansion for him. "This way, Sir," the butler said respectfully, showing him the way.

Ban knocked on Shido's door, twice. He waited for a few moments before Shido opened the door, still drying his wet spiky hair with a towel. He was deliciously shirtless, and Ban could even see droplets of water dripping off his muscular frame. Shido looked up, and Ban was pleased for a moment to see the dumbfounded look on the Beast Master.

"Yoh." Ban smirked.

"What the hell are you doing here, Snake Bastard?" Shido snarled, frowning.

"What a very warm welcome," Ban said sarcastically. "Aren't you even going to invite me in?" Shido wordlessly moved aside, and Ban went into the large room, seating himself on the edge of Shido's bed. Ban sniffed the air about him – the whole room reeked of Shido's scent – something dark and strong and enticing.

"What the hell are you doing here, Snake Bastard?" Shido repeated, putting on a shirt, Ban watching him like a hawk.

"I'm here to invite you on a mission, of course." Shido gave him a confused look, and Ban proceeded to explain. "Vam – no – Cadmus and Ginji are out, together, so I thought I'd take a mission with you, since solo missions are no fun, don't you think?" Ban cursed himself for the small slip of tongue, hoping Shido didn't notice.

"Oi Midou, are you alright?" Now it was Ban's turn to look confused.

"Huh?"

"You would never 'invite' other people to join you for any missions so casually, and you'd definitely never invite me of all people. We're enemies, remember? What drugs have you touched, ahh? Geez, that Cadmus of yours should have put a better leash on you." Ban bristled, his mouth just aching to lash out at Shido, but he'd have to be patient to get what he wanted, he must be in total control of himself.

"I'm not some stupid, fucked-up druggie, Beast Master," Ban said, hands wringing at the sheets to release some of the angry tension he was feeling, smiling uncharacteristically at Shido. "And what's wrong with asking you instead of the thread spool? Now _that's_ one annoying guy. C'mon, this mission's going to be easy, and it pays well."

Shido shivered at Ban's smile, the action almost unnoticeable but it didn't slip from Ban's sharp eyes. "Okay, yes, whatever. Let me put on my coat first, then we'll talk." Ban stood up and waited at the entrance of the room, waiting for Shido.

Shido closed the door behind him, and the unlikely pair started walking out of the house and towards Ban's car. "So, tell me more about the mission," Shido said curtly.

"A man by the name of Daitetsu Yuko requests us to retrieve a disk stolen from him by a rival, it seems," Ban said, starting the engine, glancing at Shido as he occupied the seat normally taken by Ginji. "It contains important information about his company, so he wants us to get it back. It's just a normal CD-ROM, and it's guarded by several amateur protectors hired by that particular rival. Easy job. It pays one million yen – Good enough for you, surely?"

"Amateur protectors, you say? What if your source is wrong?" Shido asked cynically. "And where are we going?"

"Not far, by our standards. The rival is currently hiding in Tachikawa, so we're heading there for now, then scour for more information."

"I see." Shido said, and an uneasy silence fell over them as Ban drove.

After a while, the silence between them grew unbearable according to Shido and he spoke. "Hey, Midou." Ban made a sound, and Shido plunged on. "I want to ask about Cadmus. How come I've never seen or heard of him before? Why are you and Ginji associating with him, and what's your relationship to him?"

"Whoa, whoa. Easy with the questions, Monkey Tamer." Ban drawled, stepping on the breaks for the red light. "First off, Cadmus is from Greece."

"Greece?" Shido asked. "So how'd he get those powers? I mean, he got stabbed several times and still had the energy to kill – and even I'm not sure how he did that. Is he immortal, or something?"

Ban's eyes widened the slightest bit, and he heard a loud horn from behind, and accelerated. "Look, Fuyuki, if I were to tell you about him, you wouldn't understand."

"You haven't tried me yet." Ban looked at Shido's determined face and sighed.

"Cadmus... he's complicated. He's a vampire."

"What?!" Shido snarled, enraged. Ban could feel him move about in his seat.

"See? I told you. You wouldn't understand, you'd freak out surely." Ban steered his car into the road shoulder and stopped, turning his body to face Shido. Ban lifted his left hand, and Shido stared half-amazed and half-disgusted.

"What the fuck-" Shido said warily, as Ban's left hand glowed an unnatural purple colour.

"I'm going to erase your memory." Ban murmured, as the purple beam grew intensity.

"Wait, Snake Bastard!" Shido frowned. "I haven't finished asking you! Damn, you're so rude, you know. And I don't know how you did that light thing from your hand – but never mind." Ban backed down, his left hand turning normal. "What's this about Cadmus being a vampire? Does he turn into bats at will, and sleeps in a coffin?"

"No, he can't turn into bats, and yes, he does sleep in a coffin. He's not one of those silly Dracula vampires that you read about." Ban said, giving in to the inevitable.

"So he's actually older than he looks? What are his powers?" Shido asked, intrigued.

"Cadmus is from 17th century Greece, so he's more than three hundred years old. About his powers: Why don't you ask him yourself, since you're so interested?" Ban said nonchalantly, looking out of the window for oncoming cars and drove away from the road shoulder.

"And Ginji? Does he know that Cadmus is a vampire?" Shido asked.

"Yeah, well I'd imagine so after Cadmus bit me and Ginji found my body in the central park a few months ago, half-dead."

"And yet you still trust him? Why?" Shido said, frowning.

"There's something about that man..." Ban paused, then felt like he said enough. "Look, Ginji and I trust him, so back off, all right?"

Shido ignored it. "You said Cadmus bit you. So does that mean that you're a vampire now?"

"What? No. I'm still human." Ban said with forced calm, absently gritting his teeth together. The questions were beginning to annoy him, but he told himself to calm down – he couldn't risk angering Shido because that was not part of his plan. "Now shut – please keep quiet, I'm driving."

Shido complied, but not without a "You're really weird tonight, Midou."

Ban laughed to himself.

* * *

They had reached their destination, and the unlikely pair stepped out of Ban's car. "I'm going to go ask around – I don't really know where the mansion is. Why don't you go ask the people at the café over there?" Ban said, pointing to the left. "The man who stole that disk – his name's Mr. Ando – kind of a well-known businessman in these parts. Then we'll meet back here, and go retrieve that thing together after we gather some information."

Shido looked at Ban oddly and shook his head once. "No, I'd rather not."

"Then what is it you want?" Ban asked impatiently, frowning slightly.

"Something's fishy. You're acting so weird… You're actually acting nice to me," Shido said, amazed. Ban hid a smirk, and walked forward, tugging on Shido's sleeve.

"What, I can't be nice to you once in a while? C'mon." Shido made a small, indignant noise at being pulled forward, but didn't push Ban's hands away, much to Ban's pleasure. They entered the small café together.

After several minutes, Ban and Shido had finally gotten the address of the businessman after asking around with a glib tongue on Ban's part. Shido stared after Ban with amazement at the other man as he drove them to the businessman's mansion.

"You're actually really good at this, Midou," Shido said again, still in awe.

"Huh. Glad you're finally taking notice of my skills," Ban replied, smirking arrogantly. He pushed down on the brakes, stopping a distance away from the large mansion. Ban decided to ante things up a level – and also to see if his assumptions had been correct all along – and let his tongue dart out of his mouth slowly, making it glisten, and was pleased to see Shido's eyes following his every movement.

Ban broke the short spell he had on Shido and stepped out of the car. He could hear Shido hesitate for a moment before following in his stead. They walked silently towards the back of the mansion after Shido saying something about carelessness. It was then that Ban had an instant flashback of Ginji – and images of how Ginji usually used his electricity to create a diversion and that made their jobs easier flitted through his mind. He wondered what his partners were doing right then – and he had a tiny feeling that something bad was happening to one of them. But Ban remembered that he was with Shido for this mission – and he couldn't help but to feel a twinge of regret for not telling Ginji of his intentions towards one of his good friends. He'd imagine that Ginji would feel betrayed, but it felt was too late to reconsider those feelings.

Ban and Shido silently disarmed several armed men patrolling the businessman's large garden. Shido grinned deviously at Ban, his beast transformation fading away and his look said it all – this job was surprisingly easy.

"You're right, they're just a bunch of amateurs," Shido whispered, as they closed the large doors behind them after Ban used his strong grip to crush the alarm system on the outside of the doors. Shido burst the doors open with a hard kick.

"Yeah, well, can't say I didn't tell you so," Ban said smugly, tossing his head towards the oncoming men, and effectively stopping a gun-holding man with another well-placed Snake Bite. Swiftly, silently, the two retrievers took down all the weaker men with easy skill. Shido used his Dog Transformation to sniff out Ando's location in the large mansion, and they moved over to the large room noiselessly.

The man Ando was there, surrounded by screens which projected images from the cameras all around his mansion. Shido noticed all this as the duo burst into the room. Ban remembered the picture Daitetsu Yuko showed him of the man, and he looked the same as ever. The ascetic-looking man, looking out of place in his own mansion, had disillusioned eyes and a plume of grey-hair and he looked at them without expression gracing his features.

"Nothing much, your defense, isn't it?" Ban mocked, grinning with mirth in his eyes.

The man lifted a hand knowingly to the screen, images of knocked-out-cold men with dangerous weapons held lax in their hands. "And nothing much could be said of you, isn't there?" Ando replied with an odd, defeated tone to his voice.

"Shut up, old man. Just give us the disk you stole from Yuko-kun, and we'll leave you without a scratch." Ban said. "Your men can be replaced, and the blood can be washed out of your carpets, but your life can't be taken back. Do we have a deal here?"

Ando looked as though someone had punched him in the face, but finally relented and proceeded to open his drawer slowly. Ban watched the man's actions calculatingly as he slid the CD-ROM to them, and watched as Shido take the disk and pocketed it. Then he heard the slightest sound of metal scraping on wood, and he knew what Ando was planning to do. He grinned the slightest bit to himself, welcoming the next action with open arms.

Ban caught the motion of Ando lifting his hand, with a sharp knife poised between his fingers - and he could've dodged it, Ando was that slow - but he gave into the inevitable and let the sharp blade tear into the muscles of his left calf, eliciting a sharp cry of pain from himself. He caught himself remembering his and Cadmus's first meeting, and how that ended. Ban could even smell the sick, twisted grin coming from Ando, and his own blood coming from the deep wound of his leg.

_Great performance,_ Ban complimented himself, as he felt Shido's warm arms encircling his slender waist, catching him from his fall. The powerful scent was all around him, embracing him like a familiar lover and he felt like he could ravage Shido right there and then, but his body felt weak.

Ban took the utmost pleasure in knowing that he's succeeded the first part of his plan as his world grew dark and cold.


	22. Chapter 22

**Title: **Blood of the Snake, a Get Backers fanfic

**By: **retroelectric

**Warnings: **Mature Themes, Vampirism, Horror/Supernatural, Strong Language, Yaoi, Alternate Universe

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the characters from Get Backers. This is a Get Backers fan fiction, ideas purely fan-made speculations based off the relationship between the Get Backers duo and infused with several elements inspired – and not stolen off the Vampire Chronicles Universe by Anne Rice. It is also important to note that this does not contain ANY of her characters, thus this is strictly NOT a Vampire Chronicles/Get Backers crossover. In this way I do not breach any of Anne Rice's policies regarding fan fiction on her work.

**Chapter 22**

* * *

Ban awoke from a dreamless sleep amongst unfamiliar cotton sheets. He opened dazed azure eyes only to be met with an overly strong beam of sunlight seeping in through the open windows. Then he belatedly realised that he was in Shido's room, and he struggled to think of why he was in here of all places, and the painful throb in his lower left calf reminded him of the happenings several hours ago.

The Jagan Master sat up in the bed, stifling his groan of pain slightly but it did not go unnoticed by the other man in the room. Shido looked up from his book, with an unreadable expression on his face. Ban looked at the wound on his leg, and to his surprise saw that it was expertly bandaged.

Shido crossed the room over to Ban and stopped at the edge of his own bed. Ban gave him a slight smile before Shido spoke.

"You're really troublesome, aren't you?"

"I am?" Ban said as nonchalantly as he could manage in his state, stretching his still sleepy limbs in a cat-like motion. Shido ignored the enticing movement as well as he could.

"I didn't know that you of all people could be so sloppy – as to get stabbed in the leg, by a stupid amateur of all people. Did you know how troublesome it was for me to carry you and attack him back at the same time?" Shido growled, continuing his rant. "Then I had to drive back all the way to Honky Tonk like a madman to return the disk, then back to here. You bled quite a lot in your own car, y'know, on the way to the café. And there's no way in hell I'm going to clean up the car after you. Geez."

Ban was silent for a moment, absorbing the information before speaking. "I suppose I should thank you for all that? Thank you," Ban purred in a low voice, and Shido's cheeks gave the slightest hint of a blush.

"Y-You're welcome," Shido replied uncomfortably, fidgeting.

Ban broke the tension by sliding off the bed, and putting on his shirt and pants after some painful effort. He tried walking – the wound on his leg was painful, but he could manage. Ban thought distractedly to himself that he'd ask Cadmus to heal that for him by means of his powerful blood.

Speaking of Cadmus, Ban wondered whether Cadmus had gotten the message he left for him and Ginji. Ban felt an odd twinge of something that was totally amiss building at the bottom of his stomach – and he didn't know if it was good or not, but he had a feeling that it was something scarily negative. He stumbled a little in his step and cursed mildly, before saying goodbye to Shido with a backward wave.

All of a sudden, Ban felt a strong hand grasping his arm, and Ban turned to look at Shido questioningly.

"Because you don't seem to look that all well," Shido answered, still fidgeting slightly, by way of explanation. "You can't even walk properly. You're not going to Honky Tonk alone in this condition."

Ban nodded appreciatively and slung an arm around Shido's shoulder, and shivered a bit as he felt Shido encircling an arm loosely around his waist, aiding him to walk. Then Ban stopped abruptly – as though with a purpose – in his step even before they reached the door, his senses on overload of the overwhelming scent that was Shido's.

"What are you stopping for?" Shido asked, warily meeting Ban's uncovered midnight blue eyes. Ban thought to himself that he'd get no other chance to do this. He's wanted this for so long, but he was afraid of the circumstances and for what dastardly things Shido would do in return if his lust wasn't reciprocated. But his body simply ached for him to just do it, and he'd already seen the effect he'd had on the other man, and vice versa, so he leaned forward without hesitation and pressed his lips hungrily onto the other man's.

Shido made a small protesting sound but it died away as Ban pressed his lips harder onto his, and it was demanding and full of unspoken lust. Shido could feel his bearings slip away as he responded with equal hunger, if not more, and he fought the pleasure-filled fogginess in his mind and pushed Ban away but not out of anger, arms were still interlocked around his waist.

"Why?" Shido heard himself croak, and he felt Ban trail calloused fingers down his neck.

"I've always wanted to do this, always have," Ban admitted, staring at Shido with vulnerable eyes. Shido had never seen this look before, and he was more than dumbfounded at it. "And I know you have too. I still-'' the word stuck in his throat but he steeled his body, forcing the word out of himself, "l-love Ginji and Cadmus, and I know that you love Madoka… but this is something we have to do. I can't take it anymore. I want you."

Shido couldn't help but to feel his hidden desires rear its head at the truth Ban's words spoke of. His hand involuntarily clenched on the cloth of Ban's shirt. "You want me?" Shido repeated, licking his lip.

Ban stared at Shido with those relentless, yet somehow vulnerable eyes. "Yes, while I'm still human," Ban hissed, his darkened eyes shifting in intensity and the soft gasp Shido made spurred the Jagan Master on as he engulfed him in another desperate kiss.

Their kiss was torrid and scorching hot and so good, that Ban feared if Shido's mouth wasn't completely on his, he'd let loose his own loud moans of lust, so much that Madoka would come bursting into the room, to check what was happening. The stirrings in his pants spurred him further, and by the way Shido grinded his own hardness into his, he knew that Shido was feeling the same as he. It wasn't like it was they were in love with each other, Ban rationalised in his mind, quelling the burdensome guilt he felt, it simply was that the tension between them was getting to be too much and it had to be smothered one way or another.

Ban hadn't realised that Shido had backed him into the bed, and the both of them spilled over onto the mattress, not once breaking contact of each other. Shido kissed differently from Ginji or Cadmus, Ban thought fuzzily, it was full of animalistic lust and hot heat. Ban broke the contact of their lips to catch his breath, and he buried his face into Shido's neck and began licking and sucking without inhibitions.

"Always liked how you smell," Ban murmured as he continued in his ministrations. Shido growled at the sensations, and his large fingers grappled to get Ban's shirt off. Ban moaned again as Shido initiated a most wondrous contact between their still-clothed members, and he couldn't think for a moment as Shido kissed him again, nibbling at his bottom lip and it was like nothing he'd ever felt.

Ban accidentally ripped Shido's shirt off in his haste to touch every centimetre of the other man's skin. He writhed enticingly as Shido laid kisses on his body, worshipping him just for this one stolen moment with each other – his neck, his chest, his stomach, and he tugged at his own pants to get them off and motioned for Shido to do the same.

As Ban laid underneath Shido, clutching his shoulders, breath coming in short pants and filled to the brim with the Beast Master's touch, his own semi-conscious mind screamed of betrayal to Ginji and Cadmus but the guilt was dispelled as soon as Shido touched his very aroused organ and hit his sweet spot over and over again with his thrusts. He partly screamed and absolutely writhed under him when he came, Shido getting his completion just seconds after. Ban knew he could never forget the way Shido murmured his name into his ear.

The two lay sated and panting and sticky in each other's arms. Ban opened bleary and satisfied eyes and saw a trickle of his own come on Shido's chin, and he couldn't help but to lick that bit off him. Shido opened his eyes to stare at him, equally sated.

"Ban," he said, his voice a deep sensual rumbling.

"Mm?" Ban replied lazily.

"What did you mean when you said 'When I'm still human?'" Shido asked, looking at Ban in the eyes.

"I'm… going to be different… soon." Ban said aloud, and with that he knew he was confirming his own musings about immortality and Cadmus and Ginji.

"Meaning?"

"You're warm, Shido," Ban said, purring out his name and deliberately missing the point. Shido clenched his fist forcefully around Ban's hand, eliciting a small gasp out of him.

"Ow, damn you, you didn't have to do that!" Ban said with irritation in his voice, still basking in the afterglow of their lust-filled sex. Shido lifted an eyebrow at him and Ban sighed, giving into the inevitable once again.

"If I do say it, you can't really change it, you know." Ban closed his eyes before speaking again. "You know that Cadmus is a vampire. And one day, he's going to turn me into his fledgling, and that day is nearing. I can feel it. That's why my days as a human being are going to be over soon."

Shido was silent as he processed Ban's words. "And Ginji? What about Ginji? Is he going to be turned as well?"

Ban sighed again, wistful. "That, frankly, is his choice." But what was unspoken was – _I want Ginji to be with me forever if I'm going to be immortal. He has no other choice but to go with me. _

"And you are choosing to be one of his kind?" Shido pressed on.

Ban suddenly turned to face Shido, looking at him with fiery eyes. "If you had the choice to be immortal, wouldn't you?" Shido opened his mouth, once, twice, but nothing came out.

"Heh. Thought so." Ban said, and lifted his body off Shido and got dressed again, Shido doing the same after the shock of Ban's statement left him.

They stood awkwardly facing each other when they'd dressed. "Thanks, I guess," Shido said carefully. "Thank you for telling me this. You had no idea what was going though my head when I saw Ginji with some stranger who had blood scent all over him, back then. I'm glad to know that Ginji has a choice." Then Shido smiled.

"You know that this is going to be a one-time thing right?" Ban asked, smirking.

"Of course I do," Shido said distractedly as he glanced furtively at Ban's dishevelled state. He couldn't help but to lean in for another kiss, and it was reciprocated hungrily before Ban placed a hand on his chest, effectively stopping him.

Ban's mischievous side came out to play as he spoke with mirth in his voice. "I still hate you, Monkey Tamer."

Shido grinned and laughed. "Likewise, Snake Bastard."

* * *

Ban noticed with surprising disgust that Shido was right – the floor of Ban's car was hopelessly drenched with his own blood, the smell turning quite bad itself. Ban ignored it as he tossed to Shido his keys, and stumbled into the bloody passenger seat.

Ban thanked the heavens that the café was only a few minutes' ride from Madoka's house. He glanced at the sky, it was darkened and he knew that Ginji was probably worried that he was late. _That is, if Ginji's still alright,_ Ban thought with a, uncharacteristic feeling of dread as Shido parked the car opposite the Honky Tonk, and the both of them stepped out, heading towards the small café. Somehow, he'd gotten the mysterious feeling that it was Ginji, and not Cadmus that was in trouble, and he could be hurting without Ban's presence to comfort Ginji. The guilt returned full-force back to himself, but he plunged forward and stepped into the café.

Ban wasn't that all surprised when he saw Cadmus sitting on the stool, apparently waiting for him. Ban felt Shido's arm brush slightly on his as the other man moved past him to greet Hevn. He heard the deep rumbling of Shido's voice, and Hevn's pleasant womanly voice greeting him back, but it was eclipsed when he looked around the small space of the café for Ginji.

Ban was most surprised and became even more worried when he didn't see Ginji anywhere in the premises. Brushing it off, he came over to Cadmus with but a small smile. He hoped that his guilt based off his betrayal wouldn't surface in front of the vampire. Ban was about to ask the vampire regarding Ginji's whereabouts, but he stopped.

It was then that Ban noticed that Cadmus was sniffing the air around him, and realisation dawned upon himself – Ban still had Shido's scent all over him, inside him and clinging like a possessive spectre. Ban backed away from Cadmus, but from the accusatory frown on the violet-eyed vampire's face, he knew that he had been stupid. He opened his mouth to say something, but the uncharacteristic tone of the light-haired man halted him in his tracks.

"What is it that you've been doing, Ban?"

* * *


	23. Chapter 23

**Title: **Blood of the Snake, a Get Backers fanfic

**By: **retroelectric

**Warnings: **Mature Themes, Vampirism, Horror/Supernatural, Strong Language, Yaoi, Alternate Universe

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the characters from Get Backers. This is a Get Backers fan fiction, ideas purely fan-made speculations based off the relationship between the Get Backers duo and infused with several elements inspired – and not stolen off the Vampire Chronicles Universe by Anne Rice. It is also important to note that this does not contain ANY of her characters, thus this is strictly NOT a Vampire Chronicles/Get Backers crossover. In this way I do not breach any of Anne Rice's policies regarding fan fiction on her work.

**Chapter 23**

* * *

"_What is it that you've been doing, Ban?"_

The question hung heavily in the air between Ban and Cadmus, stubbornly refusing to subside. Ban involuntarily stepped back, his head suddenly developing a very unpleasant throb. His feet stumbled a little from the pain in his wound, but that suddenly became nonexistent when he studied the look on Cadmus's face. He wanted to think of something plausible to say, he really did – but somehow Ban knew that even he would be unable to explain what he'd done just a few hours before, and he backed away even more from Cadmus. How was he supposed to convey it into words – how lovely it felt to have Shido possess his body, have him to worship him and still say he loved no one other than Cadmus and Ginji?

His back hit the solid wall of the café, and Ban cursed silently to himself – _fuck, you just had to come here and be cornered by this enigmatic man whom you couldn't even reveal your innermost thoughts to, even after all those nights of pure bliss and pleasure and intimate bloodsharing..._

Cadmus had stepped forward silently, effectively backing Ban into a corner. Ban suddenly felt claustrophobic. If he moved forward, just a little bit, he could manage to push the vampire out of the way, but that would hurt the other despite the rapid healing the vampire possessed. No, it was more of emotional hurt rather than a physical hurt, Ban realised, and the fragility of their relationship brought forth by none other than himself would make the situation even worse somehow. Ban knew that Cadmus was willing to love him and Ginji, was already in love with them, but it was only him who couldn't actually admit the love he felt for the two blond men in his life.

Ban's breath stuck in his throat when Cadmus's marble-like palm rested itself beside Ban's head, and he made a little strangled noise before he spoke. "No, Cadmus, wait, I can explain…"

"Explain?" Cadmus said softly, his eyes taking on a mysteriously melancholy look. "What for? It should be Ginji that you should be explaining to. Not me, it's fairly obvious you don't care much… for a man such as I."

Ban understood what he meant; he really did. "You know that I-" his throat hurt when he wanted to say it, but he forced it out desperately, "love you too, Cadmus, but this was something I had to do."

Cadmus's eyes flashed briefly to meet Ban's azure ones. He was eerily silent before speaking. "I don't understand what you mean."

"You have to understand, this was something I had to do before you turn me," Ban whispered, his voice suddenly hoarse. _What if I've been wrong all along?_

Ban could almost feel the other man bristle. "What makes you think that I'm going to turn you?" Cadmus hissed angrily, all of a sudden. His violet eyes seemed to change in intensity, but still beautiful, Ban distractedly mused, only the beauty came with a certain price and danger. And he, the Invincible Midou Ban-sama, had crossed a line with the vampire.

Cadmus's hand suddenly reached down in an unseen movement and pulled Ban's right hand up with considerable force. The hand which housed inhuman power – the Snake Bearer, Asclepius – twitched in Cadmus's grasp, and Ban's breathing suddenly became shallower. His eyes slid closed, and he willed his shaky body to not respond, and he let himself be vulnerable in Cadmus's arms. Cadmus could ever so easily tear his limbs off in this position, but he wanted to concede for now. Whatever happens will happen.

Shido only gave a cursory glance when he passed by Cadmus inside the café. He went over to Hevn to collect his share of the payment, but he was watching the interaction between the two men out of the corner of his eye. He knew something was amiss when Ban backed himself into the wall of the café – it was an obvious sign of accepting defeat, like a wolf baring its belly, but when Cadmus grasped Ban's hand in such a way that it even seemed painful to look at, Shido knew he had to step in. It was partly his fault after all.

He hesitated a bit upon seeing the vulnerable position Ban was in, and memories of the way he writhed in ecstasy beneath him just moments ago came to the forefront of his mind. "Cadmus," Shido said, carefully, from behind the blond vampire, "I think you've got something wrong here. We just-"

"Shi-Monkey Tamer, stay away," Ban gasped out, interrupting him. "Don't meddle. Please."

Shido couldn't help but to frown suspiciously at him and Cadmus. Cadmus looked to be so intent on Ban that he didn't seem to be acknowledging Shido's presence, so he carefully tested the waters again.

"Alright, I'll leave you for now, but-"

"Go away, Monkey Tamer." Ban murmured again in an uncharacteristically defeated tone, and Shido nodded, leaving it at that. Shido felt slightly terrible for the stolen passion he spent with Ban and what would Madoka and Ginji say if they knew? – but he couldn't rewind back the time and undo his doings, and he accepted it. Shido moved away and left the café with a heavy heart.

"Cadmus… don't do something that will hurt both of us," Ban whispered, still vulnerable when Shido left.

"You've done that perfectly well yourself." Cadmus said softly, backing Ban even further into the wall. Ban was caught in the proverbial trap like an injured fox, and Cadmus was the hunter.

Hevn saw the precarious situation Ban was in, cornered by Cadmus and she was about to intervene. She was about to say something, but her breath was caught in her throat when she caught the look on Cadmus's face – it was predatory, hungry and melancholic at the same time. She wasn't sure how that was possible, but it was, and she kept silent and watched.

"Cadmus…" Ban tried again, opening a blue eye to peer at the vampire. He was getting to be impatient waiting for him to respond – and it was the second time in a day that he caught himself being a submissive, vulnerable position and he wasn't quite sure that he liked it that much. He was beginning to tire of it. To his surprise, he saw Cadmus looking down at the floor with a sad look and at not at his face, and he wondered the cause of it.

"What's happened?" Ban asked, frowning slightly. He writhed in his position with his back to the wall, feeling uncomfortable. "I'm not the only reason that made you give this look, am I right? Is it Ginji?"

Cadmus finally looked up and met Ban's eyes with an icy violet stare. "It _is_ about Ginji. He turned into Raitei when you were away with Shido." He ended the sentence with a bitter tone to his voice.

"WHAT?" Ban partly shouted. His body involuntarily jerked from his position when he heard the word Raitei. His breath quickened and stared at Cadmus calculatingly. "And you managed to make Ginji regain his senses? How? Don't tell me… you…"

"I did exactly what you thought I did, Ban. I had no choice."

"But… why did he suddenly turn into Raitei? You didn't_ put_ him in any bad situation, did you?" Ban asked again, suddenly angry at Cadmus and wary at the same time.

Cadmus looked around the interior of the café and his eyes fell upon Hevn who was staring at them curiously. "We are not having this conversation here."

Ban understood his implication and pushed himself out forcefully from his vulnerable position. Cadmus let him go and the both of them walked out of the café, the feeling of guilt and worry for Ginji overwhelming Ban's whole self. _Great,_ he thought to himself sarcastically,_ you have just a knack for going to bed with one of your supposed enemies – on the same night your best friend and lover loses himself to his less desirable half._ There couldn't have been better timing.

Ban was secretly glad to be out in the cold, open air which was less stifling than the atmosphere in the café. The icy wind slapping his skin shook him out of his still inebriated senses, and the wound on his leg moaned for attention. Cadmus walked alongside him, but not as close as usual – Ban thought bitterly to himself – _that_ distance would of course be the aftermath of your lover finding out that you had slept with other people. The iciness which was of a wholly different sense from the wind - practically emanated from the vampire, and the silence between them was deafening.

"Cadmus, come on… talk to me. I'm sorry," Ban said, half-pleading. "Look, I'll tell Ginji the truth of what I did if it makes you happy. Just tell me what you want, and I'll do it." _Just please don't ignore me, Cadmus…_

"Keep quiet. Don't you even think of telling Ginji about it. Just knowing that he turned into Raitei and was about to hurt me is bad enough for him emotionally, I don't want to make anything as bad as it is."

What Cadmus said was true, Ban knew. He was about to reply something out of desperation when he realised that they'd reached their home and simply kept quiet when Cadmus unlocked the door to their apartment.

The first thing Ban noticed when he stepped inside was that Ginji was seated on the sofa, a blanket half-covering his frame. His head was buried in his hands, and Ban could hear faint hiccupping noises coming from his blond partner. When he lifted his head to look at who'd opened the doors, Ban realised with overwhelming guilt and sorrow that Ginji's cheeks were stained with tears.

"B-Ban-chan… What have I done?" Ginji murmured softly, in between sobs. His expression simply begged for Ban to hold him in his arms, and Ban feeling the guilt as he was, complied his partner and moved forward to gather Ginji in his arms. Before engulfing Ginji in his embrace, though, Ban noticed and saw evidence of the vampire's bite on his neck – the two small puncture holes which had took on a bruised, blue-black colour and it marred his peach-coloured skin.

The Jagan Master made soothing noises as he rubbed Ginji's back comfortingly, examining the look on Cadmus's face as he did so. The vampire's expression was dispassionate, and all thought of the vampire was replaced by Ginji as his electric partner buried his face in Ban's neck.

"I feel like I've done something bad… something horrible and unforgivable… but I don't know what it is," Ginji murmured sadly. "What have I done, Ban-chan? Have I hurt you? Have I hurt Cadmus-san?"

"Whatever it is, you don't have to worry about it since the three of us are still alive," Ban muttered quietly in return. Ginji tightened his embrace on Ban's frame, as though afraid that Ban would disintegrate into fine dust any moment and he wanted to savour this last embrace.

After several moments, Ginji unengaged his hold on Ban and turned his dewy eyes to Cadmus who was still standing at the door and staring at the two of them. "Cadmus-san…?"

Cadmus was instantly over to Ginji's side in a heartbeat. He took a seat beside Ginji, and smiled apologetically. "I suppose you want to know what really happened yesterday night, Gin-chan?" His voice was softly accented and melodic, and Ginji was suddenly remembered of the first time he met Cadmus.

Ginji nodded once. "I am sorry if this is painful for you, but I assure you nothing harmed me last night. You turned into Raitei," he paused respectfully, waiting for Ginji to accept the information, "And then Raitei said several things to me. He had to be taken down, and I hope you are not hurt because of it. I am so sorry Ginji."

Ginji looked aghast and his face became deathly pale for a moment. His fingers trembled when he looked down at them and a sudden wave of loathing came crashing over him. _No, Cadmus-san, I should be the one to say sorry… if only I had been in more control. I'm really so stupid! Have I hurt him badly? Does that mean that Cadmus-san hates me now?_ His eyes widened at the thought, and he moved away from Cadmus, stumbling in his steps.

"N-No… Cadmus-san… I'm sorry, don't hate me," he whispered hoarsely, yet his feet were taking him away from the vampire and not towards to him. Ginji's face held a look of haunted terror and Ban was suddenly cautious at seeing the interaction between the duo. If Cadmus wasn't doing anything anytime soon, then he had to step in to make Ginji snap out of it.

Cadmus recognised this scene from before. Several times he had seen memories out of Ginji's mind of the aftermath when he turned into Raitei and had even thought of himself as a monster. Those were the exact same words which were running deliriously through Ginji's mind now, and Cadmus could hear them clearly, Ginji was like screaming to himself in his own mind, and he had to stop it.

He snatched Ginji's trembling hand. Ginji was even letting loose several sparks of electricity from his own overwhelming feelings of sadness and guilt, and Cadmus loosened his strong grip on Ginji's slender hand, enough for Ginji to feel his comforting presence and for him to look at him directly in the eye.

"If you are a monster, then let's be monsters together," Cadmus whispered. "I don't want our relationship to cease just because your other - negative - half chooses to rear his head in front of me. I don't care for him and I have taken care of him. The only thing I care about now is you and your wellbeing, Gin-chan, and I hope you know it."

Cadmus laid a kiss on Ginji's forehead, brushing the blond bangs out of his face. Ginji nodded again, and Cadmus felt relieved when he saw the brown and warm laughing eyes of Ginji's regain its place on his face, and Cadmus could feel the empty void that had carved a hole in his heart from Ban's unfaithfulness – fill itself back again.

"Thank you, Ban-chan, Cadmus-san," Ginji mumbled, wiping away his tears, and then he beamed at them both.

The feeling which threatened to topple Ban over when he saw the smile made him feel like crying.


	24. Chapter 24

**Title: **Blood of the Snake, a Get Backers fanfic

**By: **retroelectric

**Warnings: **Mature Themes, Vampirism, Horror/Supernatural, Strong Language, Yaoi, Alternate Universe

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the characters from Get Backers. This is a Get Backers fan fiction, ideas purely fan-made speculations based off the relationship between the Get Backers duo and infused with several elements inspired – and not stolen off the Vampire Chronicles Universe by Anne Rice. It is also important to note that this does not contain ANY of her characters, thus this is strictly NOT a Vampire Chronicles/Get Backers crossover. In this way I do not breach any of Anne Rice's policies regarding fan fiction on her work.

**Chapter 24**

* * *

Ban saw that Cadmus's eyes were positively glinting with concealed anger when Ban steeled himself to look at him. He turned his head away, gulping slightly and thinking of what the vampire was capable of doing to him if that irrepressible anger was unleashed onto him.

He then turned to look at Ginji in the eye, intent on ushering his blond partner into their room if it could ensure some safety against the vampire's anger. Ban knew deep inside, however – that if he was hiding away from Cadmus, the vampire could easily break down the door if he was angry enough, but nothing of that scale would happen in front of Ginji. If things grew desperate he could always rely on his superior magic to ensure his safety…

With that thought, he tugged onto Ginji's wrist and offered a sincere smile to him, masking his true emotions and then gesturing to the room. Ginji returned his smile and let himself be pulled along, following Ban's lead.

"Ban-chan? What about Cadmus-san?" Ginji asked, before Ban closed the door behind them.

Ban's eyes glanced to the locked door momentarily and then turned to face Ginji with a soft smile on his face. "Well there's nothing wrong with me wanting to spend more time with you, after all, is there?"

Ginji blushed slightly and rubbed at his eyes tiredly, blinking several times as he directed his gaze to Ban's again.

"Are you tired?" Ban asked, raising an eyebrow. "Because if you are, you can go to sleep, you know."

"Will you stay with me, Ban-chan?" His voice was hopeful.

"Of course I will," Ban murmured, affectionately ruffling his blond hair. Ginji smiled again, and climbed onto the bed with a child-like motion. When he was settled in, he looked at Ban questioningly when he saw the dark-haired male still standing and not resting himself beside him. Ban noticed the look, and he shook his head out of the reverie he was in, settling himself next to Ginji's warm body.

He felt Ginji's arms instinctively curl around his slender waist. He sighed, feeling guilty, and hoped the emotion wouldn't show on his face. Ginji buried his face in Ban's neck, and the Jagan Master was glad for the darkness in the room, for that Ginji wouldn't be able to see the bruise on his neck left by Shido.

"Ban-chan?"

Ginji's voice sounded after several moments and it had a hesitant, muffled quality to it. Ban's upper lip twitched impatiently for a moment and then he answered with a short groan. Ginji took that for an admission for him to continue, and he did.

"Ban-chan… before I go to sleep, c-can you kiss me?"

Ban was startled and was about to meet Ginji's eyes incredulously, when he remembered the darkness in the room. Ban was about to reply to Ginji, but he decided to lean forward and plant his lips softly on Ginji's as a silent form of answer to his partner. He knew that the reason why Ginji asked him to kiss him was that he wanted to remember this moment, freeze and capture it into his brain should he ever revert back to Raitei; and if he wanted to fight off his other half attempt to emerge, he could use those memories and be strong. For himself, and for Ban and Cadmus. Ban kissed Ginji again tenderly.

"Now go to sleep, eel," Ban whispered.

He could almost feel Ginji smile and Ban relaxed. He curled his arm loosely around Ginji. After several moments Ban heard soft snores coming from Ginji. The hold his blond partner had on him had loosened, and Ban was glad for it since he felt like he couldn't sleep. His frantic thoughts made him feel strangely infuriated – why couldn't he stop thinking, just for once?

Carefully removing his limbs from around his body, Ban slipped out of the room silently and proceeded to enter the spare bedroom, where he could use the bathroom and wash himself in peace. He hoped that Cadmus had gone out to feed or something, he felt like he couldn't face Cadmus again lest he break down and sob in front of the vampire.

Ban closed the bathroom door behind him after removing his clothes and throwing his bloody bandage away. He turned the shower on, sighing softly as warm water soothed his tense muscles. He didn't notice the water turning pink from blood, he simply closed his eyes and let his wet long spikes plaster across his head.

A familiar cold arm suddenly wound itself around his waist and Ban gasped at the iciness of it. He tensed again, just waiting for Cadmus to lash out at him, bite him at his jugular, feel the sharp sting of his fangs tearing into his muscle, anything… but he didn't expect Cadmus's sad, accented voice to whisper softly in his ear.

"You're injured. You never told me you were injured; you never tell me anything."

Ban wriggled uncomfortably in Cadmus's light grip and felt, to his surprise that Cadmus was in a similar state of undress. Then he remembered Cadmus's melancholy statement, and turned his body around to face Cadmus, meeting his eyes with an expression of vulnerability. He could see Cadmus hesitate upon seeing the look in his blue eyes.

"Then what do you want to know?" Ban asked.

"I want to know a lot of things. I may be centuries old, but because I've never actually been so close to a human being I still don't know how their minds work. So forgive me. I want to know why you never say that you love me or Ginji, I want to know why you're so elusive… and I want to know why you let Shido possess your body. I want to know if you want me because of my powers or because you really like me. I want to know." He said, with a bitter tone to his voice.

Ban watched distracted as water travelled down from Cadmus's long wet hair down his marble-like chest slowly. Cadmus saw this, and cupped Ban's cheek, making him look at him again.

"Not everyone likes the truth. It's the same for all creatures, Cadmus." Ban said, avoiding his point.

"If you can't speak the truth to me, then can you apologise?"

Ban gave a short laugh, meeting Cadmus's eyes cockily. "Ha! Me, apologise? For what?"

"You hurt me when you stepped into the café with that man's scent all over you. I felt as though you had ripped away a piece of my heart… and you know this is something I have never for so long. So, apologise for hurting me." Cadmus whispered, backing Ban into the bathroom wall. The back of his throat ached strangely, an unprecedented feeling threatened to unhinge him.

"I don't have to apologise for something I had to do!" Ban snarled.

"Why do you keep saying it was something you had to do?"

"Because… because I-" Ban faltered, then fell silent. He stared at the bathroom tile behind Cadmus, defiantly not meeting his eyes.

"You are really, very proud, cherub. I've always liked that in you… but pride doesn't bring you anything unless you apologise. Tell me, what it is that you want me to give you? The both of us know that answer." Cadmus licked the skin of Ban's neck, where the blond vampire had marked him before months ago. The scar hadn't faded away. "I can even taste it on your skin." He whispered again, harshly.

Ban gasped, arching into Cadmus's cold touch. "I… I want immortality…"

"You want immortality."

"Yes…" Ban hissed.

"And I can give it to you right now…" A hand stroked his neck again.

"Yes." He said again.

"How much do you want it?"

"I want it so much – no, I need it!"

"Then you have to apologise to me before getting what you want!"

"I won't!" Ban said defiantly. He saw Cadmus bristle, and his hand moved close to his face, but the slap he'd been expecting never came. Ban was utterly confused. Cadmus turned off the shower and in a forceful, sudden movement had shoved Ban into the large bed, the dark-haired male wincing because of the wound on his leg.

Cadmus was on top of his body, his light damp hair falling into his eyes and brushing Ban's face. His eyes were a haunted violet. The Jagan Master expected something negative to happen, and closed his eyes tightly. If Cadmus wanted to kill him now, Ginji would know. His hands were grasped strongly by Cadmus's grip, and the next thing he knew was that his hands were bound tightly together by a rope.

Ban opened his blue eyes, blazing with anger that the blond vampire had the audacity to do this to him. "You damned bloodsucker, Cadmus!" he shouted angrily, certain that Ginji would hear and burst into the room to witness this. He writhed, trashed about fiercely, but he was unable to tear the rope even with his strength.

Cadmus's face was impassive as he stared at him. "What's the meaning of this?!" Ban yelled furiously, feeling a tinge of hate and unwanted fear seep into him.

"You can't tear this rope because it's made out of my hair; even with your strength."

Ban stopped for a moment, realisation dawning in upon him as he recounted a fact from the stolen Talamascan book from his old library in Germany. He'd read about the strength of a vampire's hair before, and he disliked where the situation was heading at.

"You fucker! Untie me this instant!"

"I will do anything you say if you apologise to me."

"Apologise? Ha!" Ban snorted, although he knew he was driving him even deeper into the situation he didn't want. "I didn't do anything wrong, if you've noticed!"

"I thought you'd say something like that." Cadmus sighed, wistfully. "I hoped you'd been more agreeable, but I suppose I've been wrong in that area. You're still so proud."

"Oh, and this is the first time you've noticed this," Ban snorted sarcastically. "If I'm not mistaken, being proud is one of the things I'm good at, so sue me."

Cadmus looked to be clearly annoyed. "Ban! Apologise this instant!"

"No, I won't! I don't care!"

Cadmus frowned, looking at Ban threateningly, challengingly. "What did you say?"

"I don't care!" Ban shouted, furious.

"There you go. You've just hurt me again, you and your foolish stubbornness. I think you deserve a punishment." Cadmus said, eyes glinting with the same anger again. "You've betrayed my trust in you."

"I didn't! Fuck this!" Ban lost his patience and writhed angrily under Cadmus. He tugged forcefully at his bonds but they didn't budge. "Untie me, you bloodsucker!" He spat.

Ban could feel his skin tearing when he tugged forcefully at the unyielding restraints again. A thin stream of blood trickled down his wrists, and he saw Cadmus moving forward and licked at the blood, his tongue darting out of his mouth. Ban felt enraged at the gesture and snarled, baring his teeth.

"I might try using another way to make you apologise, then."

Ban was about to question him of his statement when all of a sudden Cadmus's lips were ravaging his. Ban moaned softly as he finally yielded to Cadmus's advances, letting the blond vampire explore the whole of his mouth. The sensations were sublime, and what Cadmus was doing to him felt so good that he forgot he was bound at the mercy of Cadmus.

Cadmus had moved away from Ban's mouth and was sucking lightly on a hotspot on the side of his neck. Ban moaned, feeling the stirrings of his organ and bucked his hips up for contact.

Cadmus obliged him and Ban moaned again as the vampire started sucking on Ban's nipples, lightly scraping the nubs with his fang. Ban made an impatient growl when Cadmus stopped the contact on his organ, and Cadmus spoke again.

"Are you ready to oblige me, and apologise?"

Ban looked up, his pale skin flushed and his expression desperate and defiant at the same time. "What? No. Don't stop now…"

Ban cried out in pain as Cadmus sunk his fangs into his neck, but not deep enough to make him bleed too much, and make him too weak. "Fuck!" he cried out, angered. "Don't fucking bite me there, you bastard!"

His neck was now throbbing with pain, and coupled with the wound in his leg, his whole body now ached. It was beginning to feel unbearable for Ban. "You know the way out, cherub." Cadmus licked the blood from his neck. "Mm. Your blood is so sweet."

"You're despicable!" Ban said, his body trembling with pain, shame and anger.

"Both of us are. Let's be despicable together." Cadmus said, his hand moving to caress Ban's erection. "See? You're even harder than before I bit you."

Cadmus saw that the wound on Ban's leg was bleeding once more and he forcefully turned Ban over. Ban growled and threatened Cadmus with several things, but it all fell on deaf ears as he examined the wound. It looked disgusting, and Cadmus didn't want the wound to scar Ban's body. Make his beautiful body flawless again.

Cadmus bit his tongue with a fang and tasted his own blood in his mouth before he let his blood drip onto the wound. Ban gasped in surprise – it felt oddly good, a mish-mash of pain and excitement surging through his body, and he could feel the pain and numbness in his leg dissipating away, only to be replaced with a dizzying pleasure.

He knew that Cadmus was healing his wound but he didn't know why. Ban figured that the vampire wanted him to suffer until he apologised, but it seemed that he was wrong.

"Why?" he croaked.

"I don't want you to be marked by anyone else, other than me."

Ban let out a laugh, getting his implication. "You're so selfish, Cadmus."

"Are you ready to say you're sorry now?"

"No…" Ban said breathily. His erection was painfully hard now, and if Cadmus didn't do something soon he was going to burst. He wasn't objected to the position he was in, but he needed Cadmus's touch so much. He wanted completion!

Ban moaned blissfully when Cadmus's mouth engulfed his straining length, skilfully licking his sensitive skin there. His mind was fogged with pleasure and all he could think about was – how was this pleasure-laden moment supposed to be punishment? Cadmus's lips left his erection, leaving him hanging.

"Please," he moaned needily, getting desperate.

"If you want to come, say you're sorry."

Ban shook his head, unable to say anything more. Lips suddenly came crashing onto his again, and Ban responded with equal fervour, uncaring for the sounds he made. The kiss coupled with Cadmus's touch on his erection rendered him breathless, and his head felt light with pleasure.

"Are you sorry?" Cadmus whispered, getting breathless himself. "Yes?" He kept stroking him lightly and so teasingly, that Ban bit down on his lip forcefully to keep himself from begging Cadmus to fill him. He was desperate but he wasn't that desperate.

_I'm not going to say I'm sorry,_ Ban thought frantically to himself. Cadmus engulfed his erection deep in his mouth again, and Ban's eyes teared up from the overwhelming sensations. He bit his bottom lip hard, feeling the tender flesh give away and then tasted coppery tang of his own blood. His hands clenched and unclenched in his binds.

Cadmus's mouth left his erection again and he hissed. "Say it!"

"Please!" Ban moaned desperately, hips bucking in the air.

Cadmus was intent on making his dark-haired lover apologise. He knew Ban was close. Cadmus plunged his fingers deep into him, causing him to moan and write beneath him. A haze of lust slid over his eyes, and he bucked his hips wordlessly for more.

Ban was still loose from his stolen moment with Shido, Cadmus noticed. Without warning, he buried his unaroused organ deep in Ban.

Ban let out a short scream as pain filled his body. He wanted to swear and curse at Cadmus but that wouldn't make Cadmus budge. Cadmus started rocking in and out of him languidly, and Ban panted as the pain gradually turned into pleasure.

"Are you sorry?" The vampire panted in his ear.

Ban couldn't answer. He let out another short scream as Cadmus pushed himself deeper, and the head of his erection hit a spot deep inside him. He gasped loudly, his legs beginning to feel numb. The pleasure was too overwhelming and he felt like he could die of this.

Cadmus growled when Ban didn't answer and bit down on his own tongue again. He smothered Ban's lips, and Ban returned the kiss hungrily, unable to control his body. He couldn't continue meeting Cadmus's forceful thrusts as pleasure he'd never felt before overtook his body. He screamed.

"Say it!" Cadmus repeated, forcefully. He saw the glazed-over look in Ban's eyes and the tears of pleasure as the blood filled his system.

Ban came, and Cadmus thought that he made an ethereal picture with his pale, flushed skin, wild dark hair and bloodied lips and neck.

"Yes, yes…" Ban screamed, riding out the waves of his orgasm and not realising what he was saying. The last thing he knew was that Cadmus was kissing him again, and blackness overtook his being.

* * *

**A/N: Apologies for the wait, I'm going to revise this chapter later since it's like 5 am in the morning and I'm not very satisfied with this draft (something lacking in it) and my eyes are killing me and I'm so very delirious right now. School sucks, kinda, since it leaves me so drained of words. This is the first time I've tried writing chapter 24 in nearly 2 TIRING weeks and I wrote it in one go and I should stop typing right now.  
**


	25. Chapter 25

**Title: **Blood of the Snake, a Get Backers fanfic

**By: **retroelectric

**Warnings: **Mature Themes, Vampirism, Horror/Supernatural, Strong Language, Yaoi, Alternate Universe

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the characters from Get Backers. This is a Get Backers fan fiction, ideas purely fan-made speculations based off the relationship between the Get Backers duo and infused with several elements inspired – and not stolen off the Vampire Chronicles Universe by Anne Rice. It is also important to note that this does not contain ANY of her characters, thus this is strictly NOT a Vampire Chronicles/Get Backers crossover. In this way I do not breach any of Anne Rice's policies regarding fan fiction on her work.

**Chapter 25**

* * *

It was as though nothing had conspired between the two of them, Ban thought, looking at Cadmus's controlled movements, like a coiled spring; out of the corner of his eye, as he ate his dinner. Ginji had slept without disturbance all throughout the heated incident between him and Cadmus, despite him thinking that Ginji would definitely wake up upon hearing his loud protests. Ban, after careful speculation, didn't know himself if it was a good thing or not. The electric eel had only awoken mid-afternoon, acting more like a normal Ginji – grinning like an idiot and fluttering about as usual. Ban was secretly glad that Ginji's recent turning into Raitei in front of Cadmus hadn't shown a lasting effect on his blond partner's mental stability, and that everything seemed to be normal; at least in that point of time.

His blond partner was in the shower, and from where he sat he could hear soft sounds of Ginji singing happily. Ban carefully hid his small smile behind his mug of coffee. Cadmus had picked out a thick leather-bound book from the library, and from the cover Ban could see it was printed in the Greek language – Cadmus's native tongue. His violet eyes seemed to suck out all of the words into himself as they travelled with astonishing speed over the ancient text. His long, elegant fingers moved to turn each page so quickly that even Ban's trained eyes couldn't catch their movement.

A bit disturbed by the sight, Ban turned his gaze away from Cadmus's form and scraped the last of his dinner from his plate. He moved to stand up to move to the kitchen, intending to wash his plate and utensils in hand – but the blond vampire's accented voice stopped him.

"Ban, I want you to spend tonight with Ginji. I'll make myself disappear for a while."

"Eh?" Ban asked, dumbfounded. His heart started to beat a little faster in an unspoken emotion he couldn't quite place his finger on, as he watched Cadmus's impassive face as he closed his book. "Why?"

Cadmus smiled and locked his gaze to Ban. The Jagan Master started to feel a little uncomfortable at the sudden attention, but he couldn't look away. "Why, you ask? I'd love to keep you all to myself, cherub, but Ginji is your first love – practically your other half, after all. After all our time together, I believe I am still just an outsider. Such is the bond you have… but you should pay more attention to him. I know I'm irresistible-" Cadmus heard a contemptuous snort coming from Ban, "but your relationship with him could use a little… boost, if I may dare say it aloud."

"Aw, aren't you the sweet one, Cadmus-san, even after yesterday," Ban snorted, moving in the direction of the kitchen to wash the dishes. He heard Cadmus making the comment that he was an 'outsider', but he preferred to omit it out of his mind. He smirked, even though he knew Cadmus could not see. "But thank you. I've been waiting for you to say that."

"You're welcome." Cadmus called out after him. The vampire sighed softly after some time, putting his book down on the table. He stood up, and grabbed his coat, and closed the door behind him, making some noise to show Ban he really was leaving. As he stepped out into the lighted pavement, suddenly hit by tempting scent of the blood of humans passing by him, Cadmus could almost feel the coldness of the approaching winter on his marble-like skin.

Ban's ears pricked up a little when he heard noises of Cadmus leaving. He made an irritated, grumpy sound as he ruffled his dark, spiky hair. Trust Cadmus to leave him with Ginji alone after he had made him so sore after last night, Ban grumbled to himself. He finished washing the plate and dried it with a cloth, before he was caught off-guard with a tight embrace by an overly enthusiastic, semi-covered Ginji. He tensed a little, out of ingrained battle instinct, before giving into the embrace, a happy smile gracing his features.

"Ban-chan, Ban-chan, Ban-chan, what are we going to do tonight?" Ginji asked excitably, grinning at his lover.

"We're going out to talk," Ban replied, not fighting the urge to smile in the face of Ginji's enthusiasm. "We haven't talked much lately, don't you think?"

Ginji nodded and gently extricated himself away from Ban. "Okay! Then I'm changing first!" He announced, grinning yet again, gripping the loose towel around his slender waist.

"Go ahead."

Ban watched fondly as Ginji rushed out of the kitchen, and he could hear distantly his movements fumbling about the wardrobe, searching for something appropriate to wear.

Ginji was dressed and ready in a matter of minutes, wearing a simple, long-sleeved cotton shirt and dark, woollen pants. Ban looked over his lover appreciatively, then stepping outside and locking the door after Ginji after the both of them had put on their coats.

An amiable silence hung between the both of them as the familiar, yet somehow distant sights and sounds of Shinjuku hit them. Ginji smiled to himself, happily basking in the look on Ban's features – content and as happy as he was. He looked down, glancing at Ban's hand and feeling the sudden urge to hold his hand in his. Ginji forewent the hesitation biting at him and curled his fingers lightly around Ban's.

Ban wanted to grin but didn't show it, instead frowning half-heartedly at Ginji, but the blond man could see that he wasn't really displeased by Ginji's sudden bravado. "What are you doing, Ginji?" Ban growled, his deep blue eyes mysteriously twinkling, but he didn't pull his hand away from his partner.

"Holding your hand, Ban-chan," Ginji pointed out cheerily. "There are very little people around now who can see me and you doing this."

Ban made a small, agreeable sound, before taking Ginji's hand fully into his, tightening their hold lightly and relishing the contact. He sighed to himself; it had been long since he was able to do something like this with Ginji. He now realised the favour Cadmus was actually doing for the both of them.

"Mm, I love you, Ban-chan," Ginji murmured breathily and startling Ban in his suddenness. Ban hesitated, before replying in a surprisingly gentle voice.

"Me too." Ban was hit with a sudden playfulness and decided to tease Ginji. "Well, if you love me, then… how about Cadmus, eh?"

Ginji giggled playfully, and released Ban's hand for a moment to hug Ban with one arm. "Cadmus-san, hmm… well, I love him too. He's so kind to us, and he is powerful, and he's really beautiful when he lets his really pretty blond hair loose and free," Ginji enthused, as the pair reached the entrance of the darkened park.

"You know you really sound like a girl when you talk about him like that, don't you?" Ban said, merriment in his deep voice."Yeah, you sound like this. '_Ooh, ooh, I like Cadmus-san, he's so pretty with long hair and he's so so kind.Uh-uh, and not forgetting, he's rich.'" _Ban imitated comically, making a high-pitched, funny sounding voice, causing Ginji to laugh at Ban's jest.

"I don't sound like that!" Ginji replied, protesting, between fits of giggles. "And I don't like Cadmus-san just because he's rich. He really is a good person, even though he is a vampire."

Ban laughed, and a sudden warming thought tugged from the corner of his brain. Just like the old times, laughing and joking comfortably in each other's presence, without a thought of the world, and a sudden emotion swelled in the back of his throat. He recognised the park as the place where he first met Cadmus, and he laughed aloud.

"Funny how I always end up here, no matter how much I try to avoid it," Ban said. He hoped that Ginji would question his sudden comment. However, Ginji only nodded understandingly and pulled the both of them to a nearby bench. The pair sat down.

"I know what you mean, Ban-chan. Cadmus-san first bit you here, and this is also the place when I… when I you know, turned into Raitei, in front of him," Ginji said, the last part of his sentence hushed. His chocolate-brown eyes showed a hint of pain, and Ban only grasped Ginji's hand tighter in an ode to make him feel better. Ginji smiled, and stared at Ban with a smile tugging at his lips at the Jagan Master's action.

"Don't feel bad about it, Ginji. It should be me who should be sorry for you turning into Raitei, because I wasn't there to save you," Ban said quietly, his voice mellowed. He suddenly thought of the stolen, passionate moment he had spent with Shido, and the 'punishment' from Cadmus, and immediately felt horrible. He felt the sudden, unavoidable urge to spill everything to Ginji about the mission he had taken on with Shido, and what devious things entailed from it.

"Eh, Ban-chan? Why are you making that face?" Ginji inquired curiously.

Ban was silent for a moment, contemplating his options. Should he tell, or should he not? Would it hurt Ginji even more than it hurt Cadmus? It would be too simple for Ban to brush Ginji off, pretend like nothing happened between him and Shido, but he felt like this was something Ginji needed to know. He couldn't keep this under wraps forever, it would bite at his conscience until the day came and it reduced him to a needy state in front of Ginji, begging him for forgiveness, and Ban loathed for that to happen. He steeled himself for this, and allowed himself to be bare, open before Ginji in this time and place.

Ban sounded hesitant as he met Ginji's questioning eyes. "Ginji, I have something to tell you."

Ginji simply gave Ban a look that told him to continue, and Ban did. "I… don't know if this will hurt you or not. But I cannot deny the fact that I have done something behind of you, and…" Ban looked again at Ginji's curious face and sighed, looking down. "I'm not sure if I should say it or not."

Ginji bit at his lower lip. "Um, Ban-chan, don't tell me, you've… killed somebody?"

Ban's head shot up, eyes wanting to meet Ginji's incredulously before laughing at what Ginji thought. "Baka," he said, laughing softly, "No, I didn't. You remember that we had a mission before Cadmus whisked us off to see our new place, right?" Ginji nodded.

"Yeah, and… I sort of took the mission with Shido, you see," Ban continued, fidgeting uncomfortably. "So I got hurt and blacked out – but it was unintentional – really, and Shido took me back to his and Madoka's house – and I think you are really going to hate me for this – but you see, _Shido and I had sex_." Ban said, hurrying the last few words and avoiding Ginji's eyes, waiting for the inevitable blow. "Um, yeah. You can go kill me now, Ginji."

Ginji was silent for a while, contemplating his lover's sudden revelation. Ban decided that Ginji was being quiet for far too long, and turned to look at Ginji, waving a hand in front of his face. "Um, Ginji?"

Out of a sudden, Ginji burst out into giggles, and Ban was dumbfounded. He didn't know what to say, and simply stared as blond hair fell into Ginji's eyes as he laughed.

After several moments, Ginji gasped for breath and Ban could see that Ginji was smiling sincerely. He wondered what he had said, but Ginji's voice took him away from his line of thought.

"I see, so that's the reason why I wondered why I could smell Shido-nii on your clothes the other night," Ginji realised aloud, grinning. Ban's eyes widened when he heard that and Ginji laughed again at Ban's expression.

"You're not mad? You're not going to jump and kill me or something like that?" Ban asked, carefully choosing his words.

"No, why would I?" Ginji asked, a hint of mischievousness creeping into his eyes and smile. "The way you acted was so cute when you told me of it," Ginji said, his eyes sparkling. "I bet that Shido-nii and Ban-chan will like each other better the next time we have a mission together!"

Ban squawked indignantly, startled at Ginji's deviousness, before finally succumbing to laughter after some moment. Ginji laughed along with Ban, and the Jagan Master could feel a heavy weight lifted off his shoulders, and he felt like he could kiss Ginji at the moment. His face inched closer to Ginji's, and his warm breath came out in puffs onto Ginji's slightly chapped lips before Ban engulfed Ginji in a slow kiss. After some moment, Ban pulled away, smiling. Ginji smiled back, and they were lulled back into another of their amiable silences, simply enjoying each other's company. Ginji finally broke their serenity after a few moments.

"Thank you, Ban-chan, for telling me this."

Ban nodded, before standing up, motioning for Ginji to do the same. "I need to get some cigarettes. Coming? We could continue our conversation on the way."

Ginji nodded agreeably, and they slowly made their way out of the park. The amiable silence accompanied them both on their way to the nearest convenience store, and after Ban paid for his cigarettes; the both of them involuntarily found themselves heading for the overhead bridge which gave an unobstructed view of Mugenjou. It was one of their favourite spots to hang out at when they were living in their car, and being there brought back some memories for the both of them.

Ginji sighed happily, it had been long since both of them had been there, and he admired the dark outline of the tall and looming structure, magnificent in its own twisted, gigantic way. His mind wandered absentmindedly to the memory of the Get Backers' first mission together, and he smiled to himself. He watched Ban's movements as he took a cigarette out of the pack and lit it with his lighter. The familiar, distinctive smell of smoke lingered about them as Ban exhaled smoke out of his mouth, the Jagan Master looking down at the cars zooming past. He took another drag.

Another burning question was tugging at the forefront of Ban's mind, and he decided to simply ask. "Hey, Ginji, what do you think of vampires?" He asked, with a mild tone to his voice. He concealed his anticipation for Ginji's response, not wanting to look overly demanding for an answer in front of his lover.

"Well… I think vampires are creepy, to be honest," Ginji began, tapping his chin after some thought. "And that it is selfish of them to kill people in order for them to live forever… it's just not right."

Ban felt his heart clench a little when he heard that. The burning cigarette hung from his fingers, forgotten. "Then... what about Cadmus?" He asked, his voice starting to be a little hoarse from emotion. Ginji did not seem to notice it.

Ginji grinned brightly as he replied. "But Cadmus-san is kind! He doesn't seem so much like those dangerous vampires in movies, and that is a good thing. Even though he really is powerful and all that, he doesn't kill like a maniac."

This time, Ban's voice really did crack, but only a little, and he hoped – hoped with but all of his heart that Ginji would contemplate what he was about to ask. Ban halted in his steps suddenly; making Ginji stop as well as he placed both his hands on Ginji's shoulders. "G-Ginji… what if… Cadmus were to turn us into vampires like him? Are you willing to live forever with me and him… and to kill forever too?" Ban asked, his voice trembling, scarily vulnerable and meeting Ginji's eyes with his.

Ginji's brown eyes were widened when he heard what Ban questioned of him. After several moments, he looked down, staring at his own shoes. "Why are you asking me this, Ban-chan?" Ginji asked with a hint of dullness in his voice.

Ban let his hands drop from Ginji's shoulders, feeling dread creeping into his mind. It was this question which had constantly tugged at the edge of his subconscious, demanding of answer and completion yet he never had been given the opportune moment to reveal it to his lover, and now that he finally did he felt like he really had said something wrong, had breached a subject which had been considered taboo by Ginji himself.

He didn't know how long he could last without asking Ginji about this, and he knew that it was somehow tugging too at Ginji's thoughts even though the blond man never quite talked anything about it. He was at the edge of screaming and shaking Ginji by the shoulders bodily if he had stalled asking this for a moment longer, and a deep-seated fear tugged at the bottom of his conscience had Ginji took the ultimate decision to not become a vampire like he wanted – had envisioned – for the both of them, for them to be immortal, together, forever.

Ginji watched as the multitude of emotions washed itself across Ban's angular face, and gently cupped Ban's cheek in his hand, stroking the soft skin there. The unforeseen motion caused Ban to look up into Ginji's eyes, revealing the vulnerability in Ban's own deep blue eyes. Ginji revelled in the fact that he was the only person besides Cadmus whom which Ban showed some weakness to, and Ginji succumbed to the urge and embraced Ban.

"Ban-chan… you know I love you and him," Ginji whispered into Ban's ear. "But I am not ready to leave all of my friends to become one of his kind. At least… not yet."

"When will you be ready?" Ban asked, his voice showing a slight hint of neediness for an answer.

Ginji was silent before answering. "You know what I've always wanted, Ban-chan?" He asked suddenly, his voice suddenly wistful. "I've always wanted to spend a peaceful, quiet life with you and Cadmus-san… and there will be no bad guys to harm us, and the three of us would always be happy together, forever."

Ban tightened his arms around Ginji's waist, as though Ginji would disappear into the air if he didn't hold on long enough. "I know, Ginji… I want that too." Ban whispered, satisfied with Ginji's response for now. They had a long time ahead of them, and they were indeed stuck with each other forever no matter how much he wished it to be otherwise. He smiled into Ginji's neck, finally feeling content. Happy.

Neither Ban nor Ginji noticed the flash of white-blond hair from below, on the pavement, as Cadmus silently moved away from his two lovers.


End file.
